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General  SAMUEL  W.  PRICE. 

Pliotof^raphed  from  life. 


FILSON  CLUB  PUBLICATIONS  NO.  17 


THE 

OLD  MASTERS 

OF  THE  BLUEGRASS 


JOUETT,  BUSH,  GRIMES,  FRAZER,  MORGAN,  HART 

BY 

General  Samuel  Woodson  Price 

Member  of  The  Filson  Club 

■ffllusitratci) 


Louisville,  Kentucky 
JOHN  P.  MORTON  &  COMPANY 
f  lintcrs  to  tljr  Ftlson  ffilub 
1902 


GOPYHIGHTED  BT 

THE  FILSON  CLUB 

1902 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Preface  (General  Samuel  W.  Price),   v 

Matthew  Harris  Jouett,    i 

Catalogue  of  the  Jouett  Paintings,   51 

Joseph  H.  Bush,   69 

John  Grimes,   85 

Oliver  Frazer,   93 

Louis  Morgan,   125 

Joel  T.  Hart,  ,    .    .    .    .  145 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

Likeness  of  General  Samuel  W.  Price,  Frontispiece 

"  King  Solomon,"  by  Price,   xi 

Chief  Justice  Robertson,  by  Price,   xiii 

Portrait  of  Matthew  H.  Jouett,  by  Himself,   7 

Jouett's  Wife  and  Child,  by  Himself,   •  38 

Portrait  of  John  Grimes,  by  Jouett,  32 

Portrait  of  Joseph  H.  Bush,  by  Himself,  71 

Mrs.  Anselem  Buchanan,  by  Bush,  75 

Boy  on  Hobby-Horse,  by  Bush,  80 

"  Country  Boy,"  by  John  Grimes,  91 

Portrait  of  a  Lady,  by  Grimes,  87 

Likeness  of  Oliver  Frazer,  95 

Frazer's  Wife  and  Children,  by  Himself,  104 

Matthew  T.  Scott,  by  Frazer,   112 

Simon  Kenton,  by  Louis  Morgan  127 

Reverend  W.  L.  Breckinridge,  by  Morgan,  136 

Likeness  of  Joel  T.  Hart,  149 

Statue  of  Henry  Clay,  by  Hart,  155 

"Woman  Triumphant,"  by  Hart,  163 


Preface 


HE  seventeenth  publication  of  The  Filson  Club  is 


1  a  kind  of  miscellany,  consisting  of  biographical 
sketches  of  six  of  Kentucky's  most  eminent  artists. 
Five  of  the  artists  sketched  are  painters,  and  the  sixth 
a  sculptor.  They  are  Matthew  H.  Jouett,  Joseph  H. 
Bush,  John  Grimes,  Oliver  Frazer,  Louis  Morgan,  and 
Joel  T.  Hart. 

General  Samuel  W.  Price,  the  author  of  these  sketches, 
is  himself  a  distinguished  artist,  and  it  seems  that  if  his 
book  must  have  a  preface,  a  biographical  sketch  of  him 
would  be  the  most  appropriate  thing  in  that  line.  If 
his  book  is  to  be  taken  as  a  presentation  of  Kentucky's 
most  distinguished  artists,  it  would  not  be  complete 
without  General  Price,  and  therefore  a  biographical 
sketch  of  him  will  here  be  given  as  a  preface,  to  round  out 
his  work  and  bring  it  that  much  nearer  to  completeness. 

Samuel  W.  Price  was  born  in  Nicholasville,  Ken- 
tucky, on  the  fifth  of  August,  1828.  He  was  the  fourth 
and  last  son  of  Daniel  Branch  Price  and  Ehza  Crocket 
Price,  a  daughter  of  Colonel  Joseph  Crocket.    His  paternal 


vi 


Preface 


and  maternal  ancestors  were  distinguished  for  both 
miHtary  and  civil  service  in  this  country,  and  long 
before  they  came  to  America  the  Prices  looked  back 
with  pride  for  three  or  more  centuries  to  their  origin 
in  Wales,  while  the  Crockets  were  equally  proud  of 
tracing  their  descent  from  French  gentlemen  and  ladies 
of  the  age  of  Louis  XIV.  Before  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century  both  families  had  settled  in  America, . 
where,  on  the  battlefield  and  in  the  forum,  on  the  farm 
and  in  the  office,  in  public  and  in  private  life,  different 
members  have  helped  in  the  grand  progress  of  their 
adopted  country. 

General  Price  was  educated  in  the  Nicholasville 
Academy  until  he  was  old  enough  and  advanced  enough 
to  be  sent  to  college.  He  then  entered  the  Kentucky 
Military  Institute,  in  1846,  at  the  age  of  eighteen.  In 
a  short  time  he  was  appointed  professor  of  drawing,  with 
the  rank  of  lieutenant.  As  he  had  paid  more  attention 
to  drawing  in  the  Nicholasville  Academy  than  he  had 
to  his  lessons,  so  in  the  Military  Institute  he  paid  more 
attention  to  drawing  than  to  his  military  exercises.  This 
he  continued  until  a  public  parade  showed  his  deficiency 
in  military  evolutions.  He  then  went  to  work  and 
studied  the  military  part  of  his  education  until  he 
mastered  it.    The  knowledge  thus  acquired  was  a  great 


Preface 


vii 


benefit  to  him  in  the  Civil  War  when  he  was  commanding 
troops  upon  the  battlefield. 

While  he  was  in  the  Nicholasville  Academy  and  in 
the  Kentucky  Mihtary  Institute  he  was  thinking  of  some- 
thing not  in  the  text  -  books  and  that  was  not  taught 
by  the  teachers  or  the  professors.  His  mind  was  inter- 
ested in  transferring  the  forms  and  faces  of  human 
beings  to  paper  or  to  any  smooth  surface  he  could 
command.  He  could  think  of  this  kind  of  work  and 
never  weary  of  doing  it,  and  he  was  so  constituted  that 
he  could  not  help  thinking  about  it  and  wanting  to  do 
it.  He  was  like  a  delicate  colorist  in  a  sign-painter's 
shop,  or  a  sculptor  in  a  stone  -  mason's  yard.  What  he 
needed  was  a  school  of  design,  but  he  did  not  know  it 
himself,  and  neither  was  it  known  to  his  father,  who 
sent  him  to  these  schools.  The  same  mistake  is  made 
in  a  majority  of  our  children.  If  we  but  knew  what 
they  are  fitted  for,  and  would  then  direct  their  educa- 
tion to  developing  their  natural  faculties  instead  of  trying 
to  create  new  ones,  our  education  of  them  would  be  far 
more  advantageous.  The  misfortune  is  that  we  do  not 
learn  what  our  children  are  really  fitted  for  until  they 
grow  up  and  develop  their  natural  endowments. 

At  a  very  early  age  General  Price  showed  a  remark- 
able talent  for  drawing.     His  first  efforts  were  in  drawing 


VIU 


Preface 


the  capital  letters  while  he  was  learning  the  alphabet. 
During  his  first  school  days  he  spent  his  Saturdays  and 
other  holidays  in  sketching  various  things  that  attracted 
his  attention.  Not  only  would  he  thus  be  employed 
when  out  of  school,  but  during  school  hours  instead  of 
working  sums  he  would  be  sketching  the  faces  of  his 
companions,  very  much  to  the  annoyance  of  the  teacher. 
On  one  occasion  he  sketched  one  of  his  companions 
fast  asleep  on  all  fours,  and  his  teacher  seeing  him  thus 
employed  slipped  up  behind  him  to  give  him  a  whip- 
ping, but  before  the  switch  came  down  he  cast  his  eye 
on  the  sketch'  and  laughed  at  it  instead  of  punishing 
the  draftsman.  At  the  age  of  ten  he  was  in  the  court- 
house at  Nicholasville  to  hear  the  Honorable  Thomas 
F.  Marshall  speak  in  an  important  trial.  A  prominent 
farmer  was  there  for  the  same  purpose,  and  presented 
such  a  comical  appearance  that  the  youthful  artist  was 
asked  by  the  sheriff  to  sketch  him.  He  did  so,  and 
handed  the  sketch  to  the  sheriff,  who  as  soon  as  he  saw 
it  burst  out  in  a  big  laugh.  The  sheriff  then  handed 
it  to  the  judge,  who  laughed  heartily  and  handed  it  to 
a  member  of  the  bar,  who  passed  it  around.  All  laughed 
heartily,  and  finally  one  of  them  showed  it  to  the  old 
farmer  who  had  been  sketched.  He  looked  at  it  for 
a  moment  and  exclaimed,  ' '  Why,  that 's  me  !  " 


Preface 


ix 


The  reputation  of  the  boy  artist  was  now  well  estab- 
lished, and  he  was  employed  by  different  members  of 
the  bar  who  had  seen  his  sketch  of  the  old  farmer  to 
make  sketches  of  them.  He  had  not  yet,  however, 
gotten  beyond  the  pencil  and  charcoal  in  making  his 
sketches,  and  of  course  only  used  black  and  white. 
Good  luck,  however,  soon  came  to  him.  When  he 
had  reached  his  fourteenth  year  an  itinerant  artist 
came  along  and  was  found  dead  on  the  roadside  near 
Nicholasville.  No  one  knew  who  he  was  nor  whence 
he  came.  He  left  a  lot  of  paints  and  brushes,  and  they 
were  sold  at '  auction.  A  friend  of  the  boy  artist  bought 
the  lot  for  him.  He  was  now  prepared  to  give  his 
lead  pencil  and  charcoal  a  rest  and  to  paint  in  colors. 
He  was  tendered  a  room  in  the  Nicholasville  Hotel  for 
a  studio,  and  began  work  like  a  real  artist. 

His  first  effort  in  oil  was  a  flag  ordered  by  the 
ladies  of  Nicholasville,  to  be  presented  to  Captain 
Harvey's  company  just  returned  from  the  Mexican  War. 
The  design  was  an  eagle  hovering  over  a  lone  star. 
The  eagle  being  on  the  United  States'  flag  and  the 
lone  star  on  that  of  Texas,  the  design  might  be  easily 
interpreted  to  mean  that  if  the  eagle  got  the  star  the 
United  States  would  get  Texas.  Both  the  design  and 
the  execution  of  the  work  were  much  admired,  and  the 


X 


Preface 


young  artist  was  justly  proud  of  his  first  attempt  in  oil. 
He  had  now  taken  the  first  step  toward  portraiture, 
and  all  he  had  to  do  was  to  study  and  learn  the  value 
of  colors  as  well  as  the  art  of  putting  them  on  canvas. 
As  he  was  lucky  in  securing  a  lot  of  paints  when  least 
expected,  so  he  was  again  lucky  in  finding  an  artist 
who  taught  him  the  color  value  of  the  different  pigments 
and  the  art  of  combining  them  so  as  to  produce  the 
desired  effect.  This  was  William  Reading,  of  Louis- 
ville, who  had  come  to  Nicholasville  to  paint  some 
portraits. 

In  1847,  when  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  he  began 
the  study  of  art  in  earnest  under  Oliver  Frazer,  at 
Lexington,  Kentucky.  Mr.  Frazer  accepted  him  as  a 
pupil  only  after  carefully  examining  his  present  work  in 
drawing.  After  satisfying  himself  that  there  was,  as  he 
expressed  it,  "something  in  the  young  man,"  he  took 
him  into  his  studio.  Young  Price  rented  an  office 
near  his  preceptor  and  began  to  take  lessons  in  por- 
traiture. 

His  first  effort  in  color  was  the  portrait  of  Major 
Harvey,  an  old  gentleman  who  sat  for  him  after  being 
solicited  so  to  do.  When  the  portrait  was  finished  it 
was  satisfactory  to  the  subject  and  to  his  preceptor. 
When  this  portrait  was  seen  by  Mr.  George  Jouett  he 


"KING  SOLOMON." 

Painted  by  General  Samuel  W.  Price. 


Preface 


xi 


advised  young  Price  to  try  his  skill  on  a  man  in 
Lexington  known  as  "King  Solomon."  No  person  in 
Lexington  was  better  known  than  this  old  man.  He 
had  led  a  life  of  drunkenness  and  idleness  and  worth- 
lessness  until  everybody  knew  him.  All  at  once, 
however,  when  the  cholera  of  1833  broke  out  in  Lex- 
ington and  every  one  who  could  get  out  of  town  went, 
and  those  who  were  left  were  either  dying  or  burying 
the  dead,  "King  Solomon"  seemed  at  once  to  be 
transformed  from  absolute  worthlessness  into  supreme 
usefulness.  He  laid  out  the  dead,  dug  their  graves, 
and  buried  them  when  there  was  no  one  else  to  per- 
form these  services.  He  became  a  hero  at  once,  and 
the  thousand  tongues  that  had  been  wont  to  pronounce 
his  name  with  scorn  now  sounded  his  praise  in  unmeasured 
tones. 

'  *  King  Solomon "  was  averse  to  having  his  portrait 
painted,  but,  on  being  urged,  consented  on  condition 
that  he  was  to  have  plenty  of  grog  and  cigars  while 
sitting.  The  portrait  was  finished  and  pronounced  well 
done  by  his  preceptor  and  by  his  fellow  -  artists,  Bush 
and  Morgan.  So  soon  as  it  was  known  in  Lexington 
that  Price  had  painted  ' '  King  Solomon's"  picture  numer- 
ous persons  called  at  the  studio  to  see  it.  General 
Price  had  to  place  it  in  the  office  of  the  Phoenix  Hotel, 


xii 


Preface 


where  the  people  could  see  it  without  overwhelming 
him  in  his  studio. 

General  Price  had  now  made  fame  enough  with  his 
brush  to  secure  subjects  without  soliciting  them  ;  they 
came  to  him  instead  of  his  going  to  them.  He  soon 
had  all  he  could  do,  and  more  too.  He  painted  a 
portrait  of  Joseph  Ficklin,  the  postmaster  of  Lexington, 
which  added  no  little  to  his  reputation.  Then  followed 
a  portrait  of  a  strong  -  featured  minister  of  the  gospel 
named  Creath,  which  still  added  to  his  fame.  He  was 
then  employed  by  Samuel  D.  McCullough  to  paint  a 
picture  from  a  Bible  story,  to  be  called  "The  Good 
Samaritan,"  for  the  Masonic  lodge  of  Lexington.  It 
was  finished  and  pronounced  a  fine  figure -composition 
painting.  His  local  reputation  as  an  artist  was  now  well 
established,  but  he  wanted  something  more.  In  1849 
he  went  to  New  York  to  improve  himself  by  studying 
the  great  works  of  the  great  artists  gathered  there. 
After  seeing  and  studying  in  New  York  as  long  as  he 
felt  he  could  afford  to  stay,  he  returned  to  Lexington 
the  same  year  and  reopened  his  studio  with  renewed 
hopes  and  brighter  promises.  He  raised  the  price  of 
his  portraits  to  fifty  dollars,  and  the  first  important 
work  was  painting  the  portraits  of  Reverend  J.  J.  Bullock 
and  his  family.  These  portraits  were  satisfactory  to 
the  family  and  well  received  by  the  public. 


CHIEF  JUSTICE  GEORGE  ROBERTSON. 

Painted  by  General  Samuel  W.  Price. 


Preface 


xiii 


In  1 85 1  he  went  to  Louisville  and  painted  the  por- 
trait of  A.  L.  Shotwell,  a  well-known  citizen.  It  was 
a  fine  picture  and  greatly  admired.  It  was  so  well 
received  that  he  determined  to  open  a  studio  in  Louis- 
ville. After  painting  a  number  of  pictures  there  he 
made  visits  to  Nashville  and  Clarksville,  Tennessee,  to 
fill  important  orders.  In  1856  he  went  to  New  York 
and  painted  a  three-fourths  portrait  of  Millard  Fillmore 
for  the  Fillmore  and  Donaldson  Club  of  Clarksville.  In 
1857  he  went  to  Hopkinsville  and  painted  a  likeness  of 
Colonel  James  S.  Jackson.  All  of  these  paintings  were 
eminently  satisfactory  and  led  to  orders  for  many  more. 

In  1859  he  returned  to  Lexington  and  resumed  his 
painting  there.  Orders  soon  began  to  come  for  por- 
traits, and  among  those  he  painted  was  a  noble  like- 
ness of  Chief  Justice  Robertson.  While  in  the  midst 
of  his  prosperity  the  Civil  War  came  upon  him,  and 
he  laid  down  his  brush  and  took  up  his  sword  in  behalf 
of  the  Union. 

When  the  Civil  War  began  General  Price  was  Captain 
of  a  company  of  infantry  in  Lexington  known  as  the 
"Old  Infantry."  He  was  instrumental  in  inducing  most 
of  the  members  of  this  company  to  enlist  in  the  Federal 
cause.  Doctor  Ethelbert  Dudley  was  authorized  to  form 
a  regiment,  of   which  General  Price  was  to  be  Major. 


xiv 


Preface 


He  failed,  however,  to  complete  his  regiment  in  time, 
and  had  to  consolidate  with  another  fractional  regiment. 
In  this  consolidation  a  Major  had  to  be  provided  from 
the  other  fractional  regiment,  and  General  Price  lost 
the  place.  In  a  short  time,  however.  Colonel  Dudley 
died,  and  General  Price  was  commissioned  Colonel  in 
his  place.  His  regiment  was  the  Twenty  -  first  Ken- 
tucky Infantry,  which  did  its  share  of  service  during 
the  Civil  War.  General  Price  commanded  it  at  Stone 
River,  at  Chickamauga,  and  at  all  other  points  where 
it  had  fighting  or  skirmishing  or  any  thing  else  to  do, 
until  he  received  what  was  deemed  a  mortal  wound  in 
the  Battle  of  Kennesaw  Mountain,  in  1864.  A  minnie- 
ball  struck  him  in  the  breast,  just  above  the  heart, 
and  penetrated  the  cavity,  and  although  he  recovered 
after  being  long  disabled,  it  unfitted  him  for  further 
duty  in  the  field. 

While  in  the  army  he  could  not  paint  pictures,  and 
the  three  years  from  1861  to  1864  were  a  blank  upon 
his  canvas.  Neither  could  he  use  the  brush  while  he 
was  Post  Commandant  at  Lexington  parts  of  the  years 
1864  and  1865.  He  was  Postmaster  at  Lexington  from 
1869  to  1876,  and  during  his  leisure  moments  in  this 
office  he  resumed  his  brush.  Here  he  adopted  a  style 
of  painting  which  differed  from  what  he  had  been  doing 


Preface 


XV 


before.  He  undertook  what  is  known  as  figure  com- 
position. A  series  of  paintings  came  from  his  brush 
which  showed  that  he  was  at  home  in  figure  compo- 
sition, as  he  had  been  in  portraiture.  The  following  are 
well-known  examples  of  his  work  in  this  line:  "Caught 
Napping,"  "Not  Worth  Mending,"  "Gone  Up,"  "Left 
in  the  Lurch,"  "Civil  Rights,"  and  "Night  After  Chick- 
amauga. "  "Caught  Napping"  and  "Gone  Up"  were 
awarded  a  medal  at  the  Cincinnati  Exposition,  where 
his  "King  Solomon"  and  "General  Thomas"  were  also 
honored. 

His  portrait  of  General  Thomas,  which  is  one  of  the 
greatest  of  his  works,  was  painted  from  life,  and  rep- 
resents the  old  hero  in  his  tent  at  night  after  the  Battle 
of  Chickamauga.  It  is  a  grand  picture,  and  almost  speaks 
out  what  the  General  was  thinking  about  in  that  dark 
hour.  His  portraits  of  Generals  Rosecrans  and  Sherman 
were  painted  from  one  sitting  of  each  of  the  subjects. 
General  Sherman  much  regretted  not  being  able  to  give 
him  more  time,  and  so  wrote  to  General  Price. 

In  1878  General  Price  moved  to  Louisville,  where  he 
now  resides,  and  opened  a  studio  with  the  intention  of 
devoting  his  time  to  portraiture.  The  first  portrait  he 
painted  was  that  of  General  Eli  H.  Murray,  a  fine 
subject,  and  of  whom  a  fine  likeness  was  made.    It  was 


xvi 


Preface 


exhibited  in  the  National  Academy  of  Design,  in  New 
York,  where  it  was  pronounced  one  of  the  best  pictures 
in  that  celebrated  collection  of  the  gems  of  art. 

He  painted  a  number  of  other  portraits  in  Louis- 
ville, and  always  gave  satisfaction.  But  his  success  was 
destined  to  be  cut  short  by  an  unexpected  affliction. 
In  the  Battle  of  Kennesaw  Mountain  he  had  received  a 
wound  which  was  then  supposed  to  be  mortal.  But  he 
seemingly  recovered  from  it,  with  the  loss  only  of  some 
strength  and  physical  endurance.  The  minnie-ball,  which 
had  penetrated  the  cavity  of  his  breast  and  taken  a 
part  of  his  clothing  with  it,  did  some  secret  work  within 
which  was  to  develop  serious  disaster  in  the  future. 
Now,  after  he  thought  he  was  comparatively  well,  he 
began  to  notice  a  dimness  of  his  eyes  not  caused  by 
age,  and  which  no  kind  of  glasses  would  remedy.  The 
impediment  of  sight  increased  until  one  day,  when  he 
was  painting  the  portrait  of  Mrs.  Bamberger,  his  fading 
vision  was  blotted  out  forever.  The  bright  colors  on 
his  canvas  were  no  longer  visible,  and  his  brush  and 
easel  were  useless  instruments.  He  was  carried  to  his 
home  to  sit  in  endless  darkness,  while  forms  of  beauty 
moved  unseen  before  him.  But  he  uttered  no  com- 
plaints, and  bore  his  heavy  affliction  with  the  fortitude 
of  a  Christian  and  a  soldier. 


Preface 


xvii 


The  six  biographic  sketches  which  make  up  the  book 
now  under  consideration  were  dictated  by  him,  and  the 
authorities  used  read  to  him  without  his  seeing  a  word 
of  either.  When  the  sketches  were  finished  they  were 
read  to  The  Filson  Club  either  by  his  daughter  or  by 
another  member  of  the  Club,  and  they  here  appear  in 
this  book  as  thus  begun  and  completed.  In  thus  groping 
his  way  through  eternal  darkness  to  rescue  his  fellow- 
artists  from  oblivion,  the  blind  soldier  -  artist  emphasized 
his  right  to  a  place  among  the  rescued,  and  there  seems 
to  be  no  more  fitting  way  to  put  him  in  this  well  - 
deserved  position  than  to  insert  a  biographical  sketch 
of  him  in  the  preface  to  his  work. 

R.    T.  DURRETT, 
President  of  The  Filson  Club. 


Matthew  Harris  Jouett 


Introduction 


S   Fine   Art  is    the    capstone    to  civilization,    it  is 


/"Y  strange  that  the  demand  for  portraiture,  by  the 
early  settlers  of  Central  Kentucky,  should  have 
been  manifest  before  the  pioneer's  ax  had  made  much 
of  an  impression  on  the  dense  forest,  or  the  block  -  house 
had  ceased  to  be  a  refuge  from  the  merciless  tomahawk 
of  the  red  man,  and  while  the  bear,  panther,  and  wild- 
cat still  sought  refuge  from  the  unerring  bullet  of  the 
pioneer  in  the  dismal  forest. 

The  desire  of  the  pioneers  to  be  reproduced  on  a 
flat  surface,  whether  from  vanity  or  not,  was  natural 
then  as  now,  and  for  its  gratification  they  would  then 
as  now  make  personal  sacrifices.  As  Daguerre's  won- 
derful invention  of  a  sun  picture  was  reserved  for  future 
generations,  they  had  to  depend  upon  the  skill  of  the 
brush,  though  crude  and  inartistic.  It  was  not  until 
the  genius  of  Jouett,  Bush,  and  Grimes  was  recognized 
by  the  early  inhabitants  of  Lexington  that  they  were 
made   to   realize   that   a   portrait,    to   be   "a  thing  of 


4 


Introdttction 


beauty  and  a  joy  forever,"  must  not  only  have  resem- 
blance but  artistic  execution. 

William  West,  who  came  to  Lexington  in  1788,  was 
the  first  painter  who  ever  settled  in  the  vast  region 
"this  side  the  mountains."  He  was  the  son  of  the 
Rector  of  Saint  Paul's  Church,  Baltimore,  and  had 
studied  under  the  celebrated  Benjamin  West  in  London. 
He  was  of  a  talented  family.  His  brother,  Edward 
West,  who  had  preceded  him  to  Lexington  three  years 
before,  was  the  wonderful  mechanical  genius  who 
invented  the  steamboat  in  that  city  in  1793,  and  his 
son,  William  E.  West,  is  now  remembered  for  the 
portrait  he  painted  of  Lord  Byron  at  Leghorn.  William 
painted  but  few  pictures,  and  they  were  only  of  mod- 
erate merit.  He  is  best  known  as  the  first  painter  who 
came  to  the  West.    He  died  in  New  York. 

Asa  Park,  a  Virginian,  was  the  second  painter  who 
located  in  Lexington.  He  was  an  intimate  friend  of 
William  West,  in  whose  family  he  lived  greatly  beloved 
for  years.  He  died  in  the  year  1827,  and  was  buried 
by  the  West  family  in  their  lot  near  the  corner  of 
Hill  and  Mill  streets,  opposite  thfe  present  Letcher 
property. 

Though  Mr.  Park  attempted  portraits,  his  best  pro- 
ductions  were   fruit   and   flower   pieces.     His  pictures. 


hitroduction 


5 


like  West's,  owe  their  value  mainly  to  the  fact  of  his 
having  been  one  of  the  pioneer  painters  of  Lexington. 
One  of  the  very  few  of  Park's  productions  is  in  the 
possession  of  Mrs.  Ranck.  It  is  an  oil  portrait  of  her 
grandfather,   Lewis  Ellis. 

Mr.  Beck,  erroneously  mentioned  in  Dunlap's  Arts 
of  Design  as  the  first  painter  who  penetrated  beyond 
the  Alleghanies,  came  to  Lexington  about  the  year 
1800.  He  belonged  at  one  time  to  a  company  of  scouts 
under  General  Anthony  Wayne.  He  and  his  wife  con- 
ducted a  female  seminary  in  Lexington  for  many  years 
in  which  painting  was  a  prominent  feature.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Beck  were  both  artists  of  some  abihty,  and  painted 
many  pictures,  principally  landscapes.  W.  Mantelle,  S. 
D.  McCullough,  John  Tilford,  Mrs.  Thomas  Clay,  and 
many  others  own  portraits  by  Beck.  Mr.  Beck  died 
in  18 14.    His  wife  survived  until  1833. 


MATTHEW  HARRIS  jOUETT. 

From  a  portrait  painted  by  liimsclf. 


Matthew  Harris  Jouett' 


THE  average  reader  cares  but  little  for  genealogy, 
the  immediate  interest  being  centered  on  the  sub- 
ject of  the  sketch  rather  than  on  his  ancestry. 
This  article  will  therefore  say  but  little  of  the  lineage 
of  the  Jouett  family.  Owing  to  the  meager  data 
possessed,  a  connected  chain  is  impossible,  but  sufficient 
will  be  given  at  least  to  satisfy  the  high-churchman 
that  a  few  missing  links  do  not  destroy  the  claim  to 
succession. 

The  late  Bishop  Ottey,  of  Tennessee,  in  a  discussion 
with  a  lay  Presbyterian  as  to  apostolic  succession,  said  : 
"In  tracing  a  flock  of  sheep  it  is  not  necessary,  in 
the  course  of  their  wanderings,  to  find  fragments  of 
wool  on  each  twig  to  prove  they  have  been  through 
the  wood."  While  the  non-churchman  was  impressed 
with  the  force  of  this  metaphor,  he  would  not  acknowl- 
edge to  the  Bishop  that  he  had  completely  pulled  the 
wool  over  his  eyes  ! 

'  Read  before  The  Filson  Club,  May  i,  1899. 


8  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegvass 


The  Jouetts  were  an  old  Norman  family  in  Touraine 
(the  garden  of  France),  and  there  is  now  to  be  found 
a  town  in  that  vicinity  which  is  called  ' '  Saint  Bois  de 
Jouhet. " 

In  1632  Leolon  de  Jouhet,  having  married  a  lady  of 
Marseilles,  went  to  live  near  that  city.  Some  years 
later  his  descendants  made  their  way  back  to  Touraine 
and  Paris,  and  filled  important  offices  at  the  Court. 
In  1667  we  find  a  Matthew  de  Jouhet  was  the  first 
Master  of  the  Horse. 

On  account  of  their  having  become  Huguenots  it 
was  impossible  for  them  to  remain  in  France.  They 
therefore  fled  to  America,  thus  losing  all  their  property 
which  they  could  not  carry  with  them. 

The  vindictive  hatred  and  bigotry  of  the  Jesuits 
hunted  and  persecuted  the  Huguenots  even  to  the  shores 
of  America  and  Canada,  and  those  of  prominence  of 
position  in  their  native  France  were  obliged  to  disguise 
themselves  in  poverty  and  insignificance  in  order  to 
elude  the  observation  and  recognition  of  the  emissary 
of  the  King  and  his  baleful  advisers,  the  Jesuits.  For 
this  reason  the  de  Jouhets  dropped  the  "de"  and 
became  plain  Jouhets. 

To  be  a  Huguenot  is  a  title  in  itself  of  nobility, 
and  the  French  nobility  were  the  most  refined  and  best 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


9 


educated  of  the  nobility  of  Europe ;  but  the  Jouhets, 
it  seems,  were  the  highest  among  these.  Their  coat- 
of-arms  has  been  in  the  American  branch  of  the  family 
for  over  two  hundred  years,  and  it  tells  its  own  story. 
Three  golden  fleurs  de  lis  speak  of  the  alliance  with 
the  blood  royal  of  France.  The  bent  cimeter  granted 
for  distinguished  service  on  the  field  of  battle,  and 
the  currycombs  symbolical  of  the  office  of  the  Grand 
Master  of  the  Horse,  an  office  which  could  only  be 
held  by  those  allied  by  blood  to  the  Royal  House  of 
France,  show  that  they  were  at  the  head  of  all  the 
nobility. 

To  bring  the  Jouett  family  down  to  the  time  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  the  writer  copies  from  Captain 
Alfred  Pirtle's  very  able  paper  read  before  The  Filson 
Club  on  Rear  Admiral  James  E.  Jouett : 

Daniel  Jouet,  a  Huguenot,  landed  at  Rhode  Island, 
in  the  autumn  of  1686,  with  fifty  other  immigrants. 
Owing  to  some  difficulty  about  the  title  to  the  lands, 
the  colony  broke  up,  dispersing  to  other  parts,  Daniel 
Jouet  removing  to  New  York,  thence  to  South  Carolina, 
and  about  1704  returning  to  New  York,  but  finally 
settling  in  New  Jersey. 

Daniel  Jouet,  a  native  of  the  Island  of  Re,  on  the 
west  coast  of  France,  had  seven  children  :   Daniel,  Peter, 


lo  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


Marie  (born  in  England),  Ezekiel,  John,  Elizabeth,  and 
Anne.  The  Jouets  of  Virginia  may  come  from  this 
family,  but  the  records  have  not  yet  been  traced. 

How  the  second  "t"  came  into  use  is  still  unknown. 

The  name  borne  by  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is 
mentioned  in  an  old  volume  of  records  of  Hanover 
County,  Virginia,  which  escaped  burning  when  the  court- 
house was  burned  in  Richmond. 

The  county  including  Louisa  was  taken  off  New 
Kent  about  1716.  The  record  book  began  January  4, 
1734,  and  on  page  10  is  a  copy  of  a  bond  given  by 
Robert  Jennings,  January  3,  1733,  that  "he  will  well 
conduct  an  ordinary,  or  tavern,"  and  one  of  his  bonds- 
men was  Matthew  Jouet.  This  is  as  far  back  as  the 
name  can  be  traced  in  Virginia. 

This  Matthew  Jouet  was  the  ancestor  of  the  direct 
founder  of  the  family  in  Kentucky,  as  it  is  well  known. 

The  Marquis  de  La  Fayette  and  Lord  Cornwallis  are 
names  better  remembered  by  Americans  than  those  of 
any  other  foreigners  connected  with  the  American  Rev- 
olution. In  the  spring  of  1781  Lord  Cornwallis  (the 
Virginia  Legislature  then  being  at  Charlottesville)  had 
driven  the  Marquis  de  La  Fayette  and  his  little  band 
of  brave  soldiers  from  the  low  lands  of  the  James  River 
towards  the  higher  country. 


Matthew  Harris  jfotiett 


About  the  tenth  of  June  CornwaHis  sent  a  party 
of  light  troop  under  the  command  of  the  noted  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  Tarlton,  composed  of  about  two  hundred 
and  fifty  men,  to  surprise  and  capture  Charlottesville 
and  the  Governor  and  the  legislature. 

Captain  John  Jouett,  directly  descended  from  the 
Matthew  Jouet  before  mentioned,  on  a  fleet  horse 
galloped  from  his  home  on  North  East  Creek,  six  miles 
east  of  Louisa  Court  -  house,  to  Charlottesville  and 
informed  Governor  Thomas  Jefferson  and  the  legislature 
of  the  coming  enemy  ;  but  so  close  were  they  in  pursuit 
that  seven  members  were  captured,  and  the  Governor 
had  a  very  narrow  escape. 

Scarcely  had  the  war  ended  and  Captain  Jouett 
sheathed  his  sword  and  donned  the  citizen's  dress  in 
place  of  the  soiled  and  threadbare  clothes  of  the  colonial 
uniform,  when  he  received  from  the  General  Assembly 
of  Virginia  a  three-hundred-dollar  sword  and  a  pair  of 
silver  spurs  in  recognition  of  his  gallant  and  valuable 
services.  The  people,  too,  manifested  their  appreciation 
and  gratitude  by  electing  him  a  member  of  the  Virginia 
Legislature,  and  he  served  two  terms  after  his  removal 
to  the  county  of  Kentucky. 

Intellectual  without  dogmatism,  intelligent  without 
pedantry,  courageous  without  braggadocio,  honest  with- 


1 2  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


out  pretense,  and  aggressive  without  officiousness,  were 
qualities  which  made  him  a  leader  in  the  legislature, 
as  he  had  been  when  a  soldier  in  the  bloody  strife. 

During  his  third  term  he  warmly  advocated  the 
measure  of  authorizing  the  district  of  Kentucky  (then 
part  of  Virginia's  domain)  to  petition  Congress  for 
admission  as  a  State  into  the  Union,  and  to  him  more 
than  to  any  other  member  was  due  its  success. 

About  the  year  1782  Captain  Jouett  emigrated  to 
Mercer  County,  Kentucky,  where  he  purchased  several 
thousand  acres  of  land  not  far  from  Harrodsburg,  calling 
it  "Old  Indian  Fields." 

In  August,  1784,  he  married  Miss  Sallie  Robards,  a 
resident  of  Mercer  County.  As  the  result  of  this  union 
seven  sons  were  born.  Matthew  Harris  Jouett,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  the  second  son.  The  family 
record  places  his  birth  April  22,  1787. 

"Matt"  (familiarly  and  affectionately  called  by  his 
brothers)  exhibited  at  an  early  age  a  passion  for  draw- 
ing, and  before  he  could  count  one  hundred  or  repeat 
the  Lord's  Prayer  he  could  sketch  and  was  the  aston- 
ishment of  the  household  on  account  of  his  dexterity  with 
the  lead  pencil  and  the  striking  likenesses  he  could  produce. 

Mrs.  R.  J.  Menefee,  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  has  a 
specimen  of  his  early  work.     It  is  of  an  Indian  chief 


Matthew  Harris  jfouett 


13 


and  a  companion.  It  is  treated  in  Indian  ink  put  on 
with  a  brush  he  had  improvised  from  a  turkey  feather. 

If  this  gift  was  of  inheritance,  it  must  have  been 
from  the  long  Hne  of  French  noblemen.  Sure  it  was 
not  from  his  parents,  whose  hard  and  busy  lives  in  a 
new  and  struggling  country  had  found  no  time  for  the 
cultivation  of  the  fine  arts.  The  walls  of  their  primitive 
house  were  not  adorned  with  paintings  or  engravings,  and 
pictures  in  the  books  they  possessed  were  crude  and 
inartistic,  and,  therefore,  could  not  have  been  inspiring 
to  the  young  genius. 

Nature,  consequently,  was  his  only  inspiration  and 
instructor,  and  so  great  was  the  impetus  of  his  genius 
that  the  productions  of  his  pencil  and  brush  would  have 
done  credit  to  older  art  students  who  had  the  advan- 
tages of  instruction. 

Matthew  was  bright,  amiable,  and  affectionate,  and 
a  great  favorite  with  his  brothers.  His  occupation 
with  his  pencil  did  not  prevent  him  at  times  engaging 
in  boyish  sports.  When  of  sufficient  age  to  do  service 
for  his  father  on  the  farm,  he  assisted  his  older 
brothers  in  their  work  with  that  faithfulness  that  char- 
acterized his  pursuits  in  after  years.  The  average 
farmer  boy  finds  his  work  irksome,  and  is  interested 
only  to  the  extent  of  the  play  he  may  derive  therefrom. 


14 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


Not  so  with  Matthew,  for  when  directing  the  horses 
on  the  threshing  floor  he  did  not  consider  only  the  circus 
he  was  riding  for  the  fun  of  the  thing,  but  also  inter- 
ested himself  in  the  result  of  separating  the  wheat  from 
the  straw.  In  hay-making  it  was  not  the  pleasure  only 
considered  when  he  hauled  the  shock  of  hay  to  the 
place  of  stacking  by  means  of  a  rope  attached  to  the 
animal  on  which  he  was  mounted. 

Matthew  and  his  brothers  had  no  advantages  of 
school  for  learning  even  the  simple  rudiments,  and  what 
they  obtained  was  from  their  parents.  There  was  no 
school  at  a  convenient  distance,  and  Captain  Jouett  felt 
that  he  could  not  afford  to  send  his  sons  abroad  to 
acquire  the  academic  education  which  he  so  much  desired 
for  each  of  them.  He  therefore  one  day  called  them 
together  and  said:  "Well,  now,  fellows,  I'm  going  to 
make  a  gentleman  of  one  of  your  crowd.  Who  shall 
it  be  ? "  (Meaning  that  he  could  afford  to  give  but  one 
a  collegiate  course.)  Divining  what  their  father  wished, 
they  with  one  accord  said  it  should  be  Matthew.  The 
decision  thus  made  was  evidently  very  satisfactory  to 
the  father,  not  expressed  in  words  but  by  a  smile  of 
approbation. 

Being  a  just  father,  just  as  well  as  generous,  he  was 
unwilling   to    show   any   partiality,    and    was  therefore 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


15 


gratified  at  the  wise  decision  of  his  sons,  while  Matthew 
was  greatly  flattered  that  he  should  be  the  chosen  one. 

As  the  time  approached  for  Matthew  to  leave  home, 
the  thought  of  separation  from  the  dear  ones  was  to 
him  exceedingly  sad,  especially  to  part  with  his  first 
teacher  who  had  taught  him  his  A  B  C's  as  he  knelt 
at  her  side  while  engaged  in  knitting,  or  standing  near 
her  to  spell  from  the  primer  in  the  hearing  of  his 
mother  while  she,  plying  at  the  spinning-wheel,  would 
use  the  distaff  to  emphasize  her  correction  in  his  pro- 
nunciation. 

He  was  now  seventeen  years  of  age  (1804)  when 
he,  accompanied  by  his  father,  left  for  Transylvania 
University.  They  made  the  journey  of  about  thirty-four 
miles  on  horseback. 

Ambitious  of  an  education  as  well  as  not  to  disap- 
point his  father's  high  expectations  (for  he  wanted  him 
to  be  a  lawyer  and  politician),  he  applied  himself  at 
once  with  great  assiduity,  and  having  entered  the  fresh- 
man class,  at  the  end  of  four  years  graduated  with  honor. 

The  passion  for  the  pencil  was  not  lessened  by  his 
attention  to  his  studies,  but  was  only  held  in  abeyance, 
as  he  made  it  his  recreation  and  delight  of  his  holidays. 

Returning  home  after  graduation,  he  was  ready  after 
a  few  weeks  to  again  return  to  study,  and  as  his  father 


1 6  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


so  much  desired  him  to  be  a  lawyer  he  began  the  study 
of  law  under  Judge  George  M.  Bibb,  Chief  Justice  of 
the  Appellate  Court  of  Kentucky,  then,  as  now,  located 
at  Frankfort. 

After  a  little  more  than  a  year  of  instruction  he 
began  the  practice  of  law  at  Lexington,  Kentucky. 

It  was  entirely  in  deference  to  the  wishes  of  his 
father  that  he  took  up  law.  The  pursuit  of  art  for  art's 
sake  was  his  most  ardent  desire. 

Even  while  he  was  pursuing  his  law  studies  he  could 
not  resist  his  passion  for  art,  and  many  leisure  hours 
were  spent  in  miniature  work  on  ivory.  The  capital 
was  loud  in  praise  over  this  work. 

He  especially  delighted  in  the  painting  of  the  female 
face,  and  his  pictures  of  them  were  most  beautiful.  The 
only  compensation  he  asked  was  frequent  and  protracted 
sittings. 

Of  his  female  acquaintances  at  this  time  which  he 
took  most  delight  in  painting  were  the  Misses  Thornton, 
of  Fredericksburg,  Virginia.  They  had  the  type  of 
beauty  he  most  admired,  and  he  also  enjoyed  their 
society,  for  they  were  both  intellectual  and  bright. 

These  young  ladies  were  so  much  pleased  with  their 
miniatures  that  when  on  a  visit  a  short  time  afterwards 
to  Philadelphia  they  exhibited   them  to  Mr.  Brown,  a 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


17 


miniature  painter  of  some  repute,  informing  him  that 
they  were  executed  by  an  untutored  backwoodsman. 
This  he  could  hardly  credit,  and  it  was  not  surprising 
to  the  young  ladies  that  he  should  be  dubious,  as  in 
their  judgment  it  surpassed  any  work  they  had  seen  of 
his.  (Earl,  of  Philadelphia,  a  miniature  painter  of 
celebrity,  was  often  credited  as  being  the  author  of  the 
miniatures  above  mentioned.) 

In  181 2  Matthew  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret 
Allen,  of  Fayette  County,  Kentucky.  He  met  her  for  the 
first  time  under  very  peculiar  and  I  might  say  romantic 
circumstances.  It  was  his  custom  while  attending  the 
University  to  take  a  horseback  ride  late  in  the  afternoon 
when  the  weather  was  favorable.  One  beautiful  spring 
afternoon  when  riding  on  the  Georgetown  road  he  took 
the  liberty  of  riding  into  the  woodland  pasture  belonging 
to  Mr.  William  Allen,  a  prominent  and  wealthy  farmer. 
Before  he  had  gone  far  he  saw  a  young  girl  a  few 
yards  ahead  of  him  riding  on  a  spirited  Indian  pony 
bareback  and  sidewise.  Although  crossing  the  path  a 
few  yards  ahead  of  the  young  Transylvanian,  he  was 
not  discovered  by  the  fair  rider,  so  intent  was  she  upon 
her  mission  in  search  of  turkey  nests.  The  speed  of 
the  animal  had  caused  her  sunbonnet  to  drop  to  her 
shoulders,  revealing  her  beautiful  features  and  rich  bru- 


1 8  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bhtegrass 


nette  complexion,  supplemented  by  a  wealth  of  long 
brown  hair  which  streamed  in  the  breeze.  This  was  a 
picture  which  would  inspire  a  poet  or  an  artist,  there- 
fore it  was  not  strange  that  Jouett  was  transfixed  with 
admiration,  and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  the  impression 
on  the  retina  was  transferred  to  the  heart.  In  a  word, 
he  fell  in  love  at  first  sight.  He  determined  to  make 
her  acquaintance,  and  it  was  not  long  before  an  oppor- 
tunity offered. 

Not  long  after  the  nuptials  the  newly-married  couple 
set  out  on  horseback  for  Mercer  County  to  spend  part 
of  their  honeymoon  with  the  groom's  family.  It  was 
soon  discovered  that  the  bride  was  not  only  expert  as 
an  equestrienne,  but  in  other  out-of-door  sports.  In  a 
foot-race  she  was  superior  to  any  of  her  husband's 
brothers,  and  at  target-shooting  she  was  equally  expert, 
and  oftener  hit  the  bull's-eye  than  any  of  them.  Her 
brothers-in-law  heartily  applauded  her  success  and  were 
delighted  to  have  her  in  their  games,  but  it  did  not 
meet  the  approval  of  the  old  Captain,  and  he  gently 
lectured  his  daughter-in-law  on  what  he  considered 
unbecoming  in  one  of  her  sex  and  maturity  to  thus 
engage  in  boyish  sports. 

In  the  same  year  that  Jouett  was  married  war  with 
England  was  declared,  and  he,  not  being  able  to  resist 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


19 


the  martial  spirit  inherited  from  many  generations,  was 
among  the  first  to  offer  his  services  to  the  Government, 
enhsting  in  Captain  Robert  Crockett's  Company,  Third 
Mounted  Regiment,  Kentucky  Volunteers,  commanded 
by  Colonel  Allen.  Soon  after  his  enrollment  in  Captain 
Crockett's  Company  he  was  appointed  by  President 
Madison  Paymaster,  with  rank  of  First  Lieutenant, 
Twenty-eighth  United  States  Infantry,  to  rank  from  May 
20,  1813  ;  was  promoted  to  be  Captain,  same  regiment, 
July   13,    18  [4,   and  resigned  January  20,    181 5. 

The  Twenty-eighth  Infantry  was  organized  under  the 
act  of  January  29,  1813,  and  after  the  reduction  of 
the  army  in  May,  181 5,  following  the  war,  was  con- 
solidated with  several  other  regiments  to  form  the  Third. 
T.  D.  Owings  was  Colonel  of  the  regiment  from  March 
II,  1 8 13,  to  the  time  of  the  consolidation  in  May,  18 15. 
This  promotion,  of  course,  was  greatly  appreciated  by 
Jouett,  as  it  was  a  recognition  of  his  capacity  and  integrity. 

Controlled  by  patriotism,  he  was  willing  to  make  any 
sacrifice  for  his  country,  but  a  misfortune  overtook  him 
that  he  least  expected.  In  the  confusion  of  the  Battle 
of  the  River  Raisin  the  strong  -  box  that  contained  his 
pay-rolls  and  other  valuable  papers,  together  with  the 
Government  money  to  the  amount  of  six  thousand 
dollars,   was  captured  or  destroyed. 


20  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bhtegrass 


Although  this  misfortune  was  not  due  to  any  neglect 
of  his,  he  was  prompted  by  that  honesty  which  was 
one  of  his  strongest  characteristics  to  make  good  the 
loss,  and  on  his  return  home  he  diligently  applied  his 
brush  in  order  to  reimburse  his  sureties.  It  was  several 
years,  however,  before  he  could  make  enough  to  replace 
the  amount  lost.  He  was  too  proud  to  ask  relief  from 
Congress. 

The  consuming  desire  to  abandon  all  else  and  devote 
his  entire  time,  thought,  and  energy  to  the  pursuit  of  art 
at  last  became  so  intense  that  he  could  resist  it  no  longer ; 
so  he  determined,  although  against  the  advice  of  his 
friends,  to  give  up  law  (at  which  he  had  made  a  begin- 
ning) and  to  take  up  painting  as  a  profession. 

His  friends  believed  that  he  would  succeed  at  the 
bar,  and  thereby  obtain  a  better  livelihood.  It  was 
further  argued  that  Audubon,  who  at  that  time  resided 
in  Louisville,  Kentucky,  was  scarcely  able  by  his  gifted 
brush  to  obtain  a  competency.  The  money  argument 
he  conceded,  but  to  the  prominence  law  would  give  him 
over  the  reputation  he  could  acquire  by  the  brush  he 
could  not  consent  ;  besides,  the  dry  detail  of  law  was 
very  irksome  to  one  of  esthetical  taste. 

His  abandonment  of  law  so  irritated  his  father  that 
he  said  to  a   friend  :    "I  sent  Matthew  to   college  to 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


21 


make  a  gentleman  of  him,  and  he  has  turned  out  to  be 
nothing  but  a  d — d  sign  painter  !  " 

To  class  the  profession  of  the  artist  with  that  of  the 
trade  of  the  sign  painter  is  not  strange,  nor  is  it  strange 
that  Captain  Jouett  should  have  been  disappointed  and 
chagrined  at  the  changed  purpose  of  his  son.  The 
environments  of  the  pioneer,  living  as  he  was  in  the 
hunting  -  ground  of  the  Indian,  rendered  him  incapable 
of  appreciating  the  difference  between  the  artist  and  the 
mechanic.  Even  Virginia,  where  he  had  received  his 
early  training,  was  hardly  more  advanced  than  Kentucky 
at  that  day  in  the  cultivation  of  the  fine  arts. 

The  refining  influence  of  civilization  and  the  march 
of  progress  are  necessary  to  a  general  love  of  art. 
Therefore,  we  find  that  the  painters  of  distinction  that 
we  had  in  this  country  at  that  time  (West,  Trumbull, 
and  Gilbert  Stuart)  lived  in  the  older  cities  in  the  East, 
Boston  and  Philadelphia.  If  Captain  Jouett  had  felt 
differently  it  would  have  been  as  wonderful  as  the  genius 
of  his  son,   who  had  been  endowed  by  nature. 

To  effectually  curb  development  in  the  fine  arts  of 
one  who  possesses  an  innate  passion  therefor  is  as 
impossible  as  to  change  the  course  of  the  Niagara  River 
or  suddenly  check  its  momentum  at  the  very  verge  of 
its   leap.     The  would  -  be  artist  felt  satisfied  that  in  a 


2  2  TJie  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


short  time  he  would  be  able  to  convince  his  father 
that  by  choosing  this  profession  he  would  not  lose  the 
respect  of  his  friends  or  injure  his  social  position.  The 
education  he  received  at  Transylvania  was  not  wasted, 
for  it  not  only  assisted  him  in  the  study  of  nature  but 
in  an  intelligent  performance  of  his  work. 

As  his  reputation  as  a  painter  was  already  established, 
he  had  no  misgiving  as  to  being  able  to  obtain  a  suf- 
ficient livelihood  for  himself  and  family,  even  better 
than  the  practice  of  law  could  afford  at  the  outset. 
At  first  he  only  received  twenty  -  five  dollars  for  his  life- 
sized  portraits,  but,  being  very  rapid  in  his  execution, 
could  paint  three  in  one  week,  thus  making  a  comfort- 
able living.  At  that  time  large  incomes  were  not  as 
necessary  as  now,  for  it  will  be  remembered  that  the 
purchasing  power  of  a  dollar  was  greater  than  at  the 
present  day. 

Jouett,  never  having  had  any  artist  associates,  was 
very  desirous  of  meeting  some  of  those  living  in  the 
East,  and  to  learn  something  of  their  methods  and 
experience.  He,  therefore,  early  in  June,  1817,  started 
for  Philadelphia  on  horseback.  It  was  a  long  and  weary 
journey,  taking  five  weeks  to  accomplish.  Arriving  at 
the  Quaker  City,  he  made  no  delay  in  visiting  the  studios 
of  several  of  the  artists.     He  was   disappointed  in  not 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


23 


finding  the  one  he  most  wanted  to  see,  Benjamin  West, 
he  having  embarked  for  England  a  few  weeks  before 
he  arrived.  In  a  few  days  he  continued  his  journey 
on  horseback  to  Boston  to  make  the  acquaintance  of 
Gilbert  Stuart.  So  delighted  was  the  backwoodsman 
artist  with  Mr.  Stuart  that  he  requested  the  favor  of 
becoming  his  pupil.  The  great  master  in  turn  was  much 
pleased  with  the  address  and  bearing  of  the  applicant, 
and  at  once  granted  the  request,  and  further  showed 
his  kind  feeling  by  inviting  him  to  occupy  his  studio 
with  him. 

A  pleasant  and  cordial  relation  was  at  once  established 
between  master  and  pupil.  The  master  always  addressed 
his  pupil  as  "Kentucky."  On  one  occasion,  observing 
he  was  in  trouble  over  a  head  he  was  engaged  upon, 
he  asked  :  ' '  Kentucky,  what  is  your  trouble  ?  "  When 
informed  it  was  the  expression  of  the  eyes  he  could 
not  get,  Stuart,  with  one  stroke  of  the  brush,  produced 
the  desired  effect.  His  preceptor  made  a  study  of  his 
pupil  for  a  portrait,  and  when  his  picture  was  done 
presented  it  to  him.  As  he  could  not  carry  it  on  his  horse 
without  injury,  he  left  it  with  a  business  firm  in  Boston 
to  be  sent  to  him  at  the  earliest  opportunity,  and  when 
transportation  was  established  the  picture  could  not  be 
found,   although  diligent  search  had  been  made. 


24  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


It  was  Jouett's  ambition  to  visit  England  for  the 
purpose  of  studying  under  the  best  painters  of  that 
country,  but  Mr.  Stuart  disapproved  of  such  a  trip, 
giving  as  his  opinion  that  art  had  greatly  deteriorated  in 
London,  and  at  that  time  was  at  a  standstill.  Sir  Joshua 
Reynolds  was  profound  in  the  theory  of  art,  and  a 
most  admirable  portrait  painter.  His  immediate  suc- 
cessor. Sir  Thomas  Lawrence,  was  not  his  equal.  His 
contemporary,  Hogarth,  was  the  prince  of  characteristics. 
Gainsborough  and  Wilson,  of  the  same  period,  were 
landscape  painters  of  no  common  ability.  To  Sir  David 
Wilkie,  as  a  painter  of  humble  life,  great  honor  is  due, 
but  in  the  higher  walks  of  historic  painting  they  can  not 
boast  of  a  name  that  ranks  so  high  in  critical  estimation 
as  that  of  our  Washington  Allston.  Nor  did  Reynolds 
himself  produce  paintings  that  in  essential  excellence  as 
individual  portraits  surpass  those  of  Gilbert  Stuart. 

Remaining  as  pupil  to  Stuart  during  the  summer, 
Jouett  in  the  fall  returned  to  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
where  he  opened  a  studio,  and  at  once  had  numerous 
orders,  although  he  had  doubled  his  price  on  portraits. 
The  comparative  idleness  of  his  brush  during  the  long 
winter  season  incident  to  the  climate  of  Kentucky 
determined  him  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  South.  He 
established   himself  in   New   Orleans,    and  in   a  short 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


25 


time  exceeded  his  fondest  expectations,  and  before 
midwinter  had  received  numerous  commissions  at  an 
advanced  price.  His  reputation  extending  to  the  other 
Southern  cities  on  the  Mississippi,  he  had  more  work 
than  he  could  perform  in  one  season,  so  he  had  to 
return  successive  seasons  to  fill  his  engagements,  and 
those  annual  visitations  were  kept  up  almost  to  the 
year  of  his  death. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  reception  of  General  La  Fay- 
ette by  the  patriotic  citizens  of  Lexington  in  the  year 
1824,  no  one  was  more  enthusiastic  or  more  delighted 
to  pay  honor  to  the  French  soldier  who  aided  the 
Americans  in  obtaining  their  independence  than  the 
soldier  artist.  He  was  complimented  by  being  chosen 
assistant  marshal  on  the  occasion  of  the  parade.  Mrs. 
Jouett  and  her  little  ten -year -old  daughter  (the  late 
Mrs.  S.  B.  Menefee)  stood  in  front  of  the  family 
residence  to  see  the  procession  as  it  passed  up  Main 
Street.  When  the  carriage  containing  the  French  vet- 
eran was  opposite  them  Sarah  Jouett,  with  a  little 
companion,  approached  the  carriage  and  handed  a  small 
basket  of  fruit  to  La  Fayette,  who,  upon  receiving  it, 
said:    "God  bless  you,   little  children." 

The  distinguished  foreign  visitor  being  invited  to 
Frankfort  to  spend  a  few  days  with  one  of  its  patriotic 


26  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


citizens,  Jouett  accompanied  him  to  obtain  sittings  for 
a  full  -  length  portrait.  La  Fayette  kindly  gave  the 
sittings,  and  was  much  interested  in  the  development  of 
the  sketch,  which  was  completed  before  he  left  Kentucky. 

From  this  study,  which  was  less  than  the  size  of 
life,  Jouett  executed  the  life-size,  full-length  portrait 
which  now  hangs  on  the  walls  of  the  State  House, 
it  having  been  purchased  by  the  State. 

While  it  possesses  great  merit  as  a  painting,  both 
in  likeness  and  execution,  art  critics  who  have  seen 
both  the  study  and  the  larger  painting  regard  it  as  not 
as  good  as  the  former.  The  smaller  picture  is  now 
in  possession  of  a  citizen  of  Richmond,  Kentucky,  having 
been  presented  to  a  relative  by  the  artist. 

The  writer  has  seen  but  one  of  the  two  paintings 
named  ( the  one  in  the  State  House ),  so  can  not  com- 
pare them,  but  is  disposed  to  agree  with  the  critics  ; 
for  it  is  a  well  -  known  fact  that  the  best  painters  rarely 
succeed  in  making  a  copy  equal  to  the  original  unless 
the  first  work  is  defective.  In  copying  the  work  becomes 
mechanical,  the  first  inspiration  is  gone,  and  it  becomes 
almost  impossible  to  throw  the  same  life  and  action 
into  the  reproduction. 

Considering  the  short  time  Jouett  spent  on  this 
picture,   it  is  a  marvelous  success.    It  usually  takes  an 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


27 


industrious  painter  a  month  or  more  to  finish  a  Hfe-sized, 
full  -  length  portrait.  The  action,  pose,  and  anatomy  of 
this  portrait  are  masterly,  and  the  modeling  true  to  life. 
The  State  should  be  congratulated  in  the  possession  of 
such  a  work  of  art,  and  should  value  it  as  one  of  its 
greatest  treasures,  as  coming  from  the  brush  of  one  of 
its  most  gifted  sons. 

It  would  do  credit  to  the  National  Capitol,  and 
would  excel  in  merit  much  that  now  hangs  upon  its 
walls,  for  Congress  has  not  always  been  fortunate  in 
selecting  paintings  of  intrinsic  value. 

The  average  Congressman  has  little  knowledge  of 
true  works  of  art,  and  regards  them  as  a  commercial 
commodity.  Consequently,  when  a  measure  is  before 
Congress  for  the  purchase  of  a  picture,  he  is  more 
influenced  by  the  lobbyist  than  by  the  merit  of  the 
painting.  Only  a  few  years  ago  an  appropriation  of 
fifteen  thousand  dollars  passed  the  Senate  for  the  pur- 
chase of  a  full  -  length  portrait  of  one  of  the  distin- 
guished generals  of  the  Civil  War,  painted  by  a  Wash- 
ington artist,  but  it  failed  to  pass  the  House  because 
of  a  united  remonstrance  from  Philadelphia  artists, 
who  protested  that  it  would  reflect  discredit  upon 
the  Government  if  it  were  seen  on  the  wall  of  the 
Capitol. 


2  8  The  Oid  Masters  of  the  Bhtegrass 


Between  General  La  Fayette  and  Jouett,  during  the 
long  sittings  for  this  portrait,  there  arose  a  mutual 
understanding  and  sympathy.  They  were  both  veterans, 
one  of  the  Revolution  and  the  other  of  the  War  of 
1812,  so  when  the  time  for  separation  came  the  good- 
bye was  as  hard  to  say  as  if  their  social  relations  had 
existed  for  years,  and  to  this  magnetism  is  due  much 
of  the  success  of  this  great  picture. 

The  old  and  trite  saying  that  "blood  will  tell "  is 
strikingly  illustrated  in  the  character  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch.  A  portrait  of  him,  painted  by  his  own  brush, 
is  among  the  collection  owned  by  Mrs.  R.  J.  Menefee,  of 
this  city,  and  depicts  a  noble  visage.  His  features  were 
of  Irish  cast,  with  a  placid  but  firm  expression,  his  eyes 
were  gray  -  blue,  and  he  had  dark  brown  hair  and  ruddy 
complexion. 

In  stature  he  was  tall  and  spare,  but  symmetrically 
proportioned,  which,  aided  by  his  military  training,  gave 
him  a  fine  presence.  He  at  once  impressed  the  stranger 
as  being  of  aristocratic  descent.  The  stranger,  on  further 
acquaintance,  would  be  confirmed  in  his  first  impression, 
for  the  qualities  of  his  mind  were  beyond  the  ordinary. 
His  brilliant  conversational  powers,  his  sparkling  wit 
and  quick  repartee  made  him  attractive  to  every  one, 
especially  to  the  refined  and  intelligent. 


Matthew  Harris  yoneit 


29 


He  had  strong  religious  convictions.  He  always 
strictly  observed  the  Sabbath  day,  and  there  is  to  be 
found  in  his  manuscripts  an  approval  of  Johnson's 
condemnation  of  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds'  habit  of  painting 
on  Sunday. 

His  large  storehouse  of  information  was  never  allowed 
to  be  depleted,  but  being  a  great  reader  it  was  con- 
stantly added  to.  He  was  especially  fond  of  poetry. 
He  was  very  versatile  ;  besides  being  master  of  the 
brush,  he  was  a  graceful  and  ready  writer,  and  also 
performed  skillfully  upon  two  musical  instruments,  the 
violin  and  the  flute. 

The  adage,  "Jack  of  all  trades,  good  at  none,"  was 
not  applicable  to  him,  for  his  determination  to  become 
a  painter,  a  great  portrait  painter,  he  ever  kept  in  view. 
His  attainments  in  literature  and  in  music  show  that  if 
he  had  given  the  same  attention  to  either  of  them,  or 
made  them  the  goal  of  his  ambition,  he  would  have 
been  equally  successful. 

When  seated  before  his  canvas  he  threw  into  it  all 
of  his  energy,  and  was  restive  under  any  interruption. 
His  studio  was  not  for  loiterers,  and  he  was  not  slow 
in  letting  such  visitors  know  that  their  room  was  better 
than  their  company.  On  one  occasion  his  patience  was 
very  much  tried  by  long  and  repeated  visits  from  one 


30  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


of  this  character.  In  order  to  get  rid  of  him  he  one 
day  said  to  him:  "Young  man,  can  you  see  right 
well  ? "  "  Yes,  sir ;  no  one  in  this  town  can  see  better 
than  I  can."  Pointing  with  his  mahlstick  to  the  entrance, 
the  painter  then  asked:  "Can  you  see  that  door?"  The 
hint  was  not  as  broad  as  a  church  door  nor  as  deep 
as  a  well,  but  it  sufficed,  and  he  stood  not  on  the  order 
of  his  going,  but  went  quickly,  slamming  the  door  after 
him.    To  Jouett's  satisfaction  he  never  came  back  again. 

When  not  occupied  at  his  easel  he  was  courteous  to 
visitors,  however  humble  their  station  in  life.  To  his 
servants  he  was  always  kind,  and  to  those  advanced  in 
life  he  would  allow  the  familiarity  presumed  on  by  old 
family  servants.  Particularly  was  this  so  with  his  old 
servant  "Ned." 

This  old  Ned  was  wonderfully  pious  and  a  great 
exhorter  —  in  theory  a  temperance  man,  but  prone  to 
backsliding.  Knowing  his  master's  fondness  for  horses, 
and  that  it  was  his  custom  in  the  afternoon  on  his  way 
home  during  the  racing  season  to  stop  at  the  race-course 
and  enjoy  the  sport,  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  lecture  him 
on  the  evil  of  his  ways,  and  would  do  so  after  this 
manner:  "Mars  Matt,  ef  yer  don't  be  kerful  dem  races 
gwine  ter  be  de  ruin  ov  yer  sol  ;  taint  no  place  for  de 
chillun  ov  de  Lord  ! "    Jouett  listened  to  him  patiently 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


31 


and  consented  to  his  argument,  but  did  not  promise 
to  reform.  The  next  day  after  one  of  these  earnest 
admonitions  Mr.  Jouett  walked  into  the  race-course,  and, 
to  his  astonishment,  saw  old  Ned  perched  in  a  tree- 
top  eagerly  watching  the  fun.  He  called  to  him  :  ' '  Ned, 
you  hypocritical  black  rascal,  what  are  you  doing  up 
there  ? "  "  Now,  Mars  Matt,  you  go  long  and  let  dis  nigger 
lone.  He  am  there  ter  see  no  races  fer  hissef ;  he  jist 
come  ter  cotch  de  sinners,  an'  ter  testify  agin  em."  The 
master  passed  on,  leaving  the  pious  Ned  to  take  notes. 

The  declaration  of  the  Nazarine  that  "a  prophet  is 
not  without  honor  save  in  his  own  country "  has  not 
since  his  day  been  repeated  with  greater  significance  than 
when  applied  to  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  The  product 
of  his  brush  was  hardly  appreciated  beyond  that  of  por- 
traiture, not  taking  them  on  their  merits  as  works  of 
art.  His  reputation  was  therefore  limited  to  Kentucky 
and  a  few  Southern  cities,  and  then  only  as  a  likeness 
painter. 

It  was  not  until  the  exhibition  of  his  portraits  at  the 
World's  Fair  at  Chicago,  in  1893,  that  his  fame  as  a 
great  painter  began  its  expansion.  His  productions  were 
given  the  best  places  in  the  gallery  by  the  hanging 
committee  because  of  their  recognized  merit,  and  they 
stood  the  most  favorable  comparison  with  the  works  of 


32 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


the  best  foreign  painters.  The  demand  now  for  his 
paintings  by  home  and  foreign  collectors  is  almost  without 
a  parallel.  The  quest  is  for  portraits  painted  by  him 
of  public  men,  but  they  are  willing,  if  such  are  not  for 
sale,  to  purchase  family  portraits,  offering  as  high  as  five 
hundred  dollars  for  a  bust  size.  A  portrait  by  him  of 
his  pupil,  John  Grimes,  was  presented  by  the  late  Mrs. 
S.  B.  Menefee  to  the  New  York  Museum  of  Art. 

Since  the  World's  Fair  his  pictures  have  been  eagerly 
solicited  by  projectors  of  exhibits,  and  have  been  exhibited 
in  Philadelphia  and  Cincinnati.  Professor  Thomas  S. 
Noble,'  Superintendent  of  the  Art  School  in  Cincinnati, 
after  scrutinizing  carefully  the  Jouett  portraits  in  the 
collections,  exclaimed  to  a  friend,  "Rembrandt  is  next 
to  God,  and  Jouett  is  next  to  Rembrandt  !  " 

Rembrandt,  like  Jouett,  was  not  appreciated  until  after 
his  death.  He  felt,  however,  more  keenly  the  pangs  of 
poverty  than  Jouett.  His  portraits  were  in  little  demand 
during  his  life,  and  those  he  did  sell  were  at  prices 
hardly  sufficient  to  keep  the  wolf  from  the  door.  At 
this  day  his  works  command  the  most  fabulous  prices. 

'  Lexington,  Kentucky,  being  the  birthplace  of  Professor  Noble,  it 
would  be  but  just  and  fitting  that  his  history  should  appear  with  the 
sketches  of  the  Bluegrass  masters,  except  for  the  purpose  of  the  author 
to  confine  his  work  to  the  deceased  painters  of  that  locality.  Kentucky 
should  class  him  as  one  of  her  gifted  sons,  as  he  has  established  a 
national  reputation  as  a  character  painter  second  to  none  in  this  country, 


JOHN  GRIMES. 

Painted  by  Matthew  Harris  Jouett. 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


33 


The  New  York  Museum  of  Art  secured  one  at  the 
enormous  sum  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

The  appreciation  of  true  art  has  undergone  a  revo- 
lution since  the  days  of  Rembrandt,  consequently  the 
home  and  foreign  artists  are  reaping  a  harvest,  and 
portraits  hardly  equal  to  those  of  either  of  the  artists 
named  are  valued  at  from  two  hundred  dollars  to  one 
thousand  dollars.  Lenbach,  the  Munich  artist,  asks  five 
thousand  dollars  for  his  portraits  without  hands. 

Meissonier,  the  French  artist,  was  once  asked  by  a 
guest  why  he  did  not  have  some  of  his  work  on  the  walls 
of  his  residence.  His  laconic  reply  was,  "I  can't  afford 
to,"  implying  that  his  paintings  commanded  such  prices 
that  he  could  better  afford  to  pay  for  paintings  of  others. 

It  has  been  the  opinion  of  some  that  republics  are 
unfavorable  to  the  cultivation  of  art,  and  that  monarch- 
ical governments  are  better  patrons.  This  can  only  be 
true  to  the  extent  that  wealth  was  concentrated  in  a 
few  hands  in  monarchies,  and,  being  hereditary,  there 
was  more  time  to  accumulate  works  of  art  and  to  educate 
the  taste.  As  a  republic  grows  older  and  richer  this 
ceases  to  be  the  case,  and  America  is  now  considered 
one  of  the  best  markets  for  rare  collections. 

At  the  recent  Clark  sale,  in  New  York  City,  the 
pictures  found  ready  sale  at  good  prices.    A  landscape 


34  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


by  George  Inness  sold  for  ten  thousand  dollars,  having 
been  bought  from  the  painter  a  few  years  before  his 
death  for  only  three  hundred  dollars.  This  would  show 
that  if  a  connoisseur  were  to  buy  up  good  pictures  from 
promising  young  artists  it  would  prove  a  good  specu- 
lation—  much  better  than  diamonds,  for  paintings  of 
merit  are  enhanced  in  value  by  age  \  ^  they  become  richer 
and  more  mellow,  while  diamonds  and  other  precious 
stones  are  stationary,  and  are  only  valued  to  the  amount 
invested. 

The  French  republic,  at  the  present  day,  is  foremost 
in  portraiture,  due,  in  a  large  measure,  to  patronage  from 
the  cultivated  in  art. 

An  artist  of  world-wide  fame,  who  had  traveled 
through  Europe,  said  that  he  believed  that  some  of 
Jouett's  best  heads  could  be  sold  in  those  countries  for 
Van  Dykes  if  the  costumes  were  but  changed  to  the 
period  of  that  artist. 

When  the  Honorable  Charles  Sumner  was  a  guest 
of  General  William  Preston,  at  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
several  years  before  the  Civil  War,  he  was  much 
impressed  by  the  portraits  by  Jouett  which  hung  upon 
the  walls.  Escorting  Mrs.  Preston  in  to  dinner  on  the 
evening  of  his  arrival,  he  was  attracted  on  entering  the 
dining  -  room  by  Jouett's  portrait  of  Mrs.  Irvin  hanging 


Matthew  Harris  yoiiett 


35 


over  the  mantel.  He  stopped,  looked  at  it  closely,  and 
exclaimed,  "What  a  glorious  Van  Dyke!  Where  did 
you  get  it  ? "  Mrs.  Preston  told  him  he  was  mistaken 
in  the  artist  ;  that  it  was  painted  by  Matt.  Jouett,  a 
Kentucky  painter,  who  she  was  sure  had  never  seen  a 
Van  Dyke  or  any  other  master  picture.  Mr.  Sumner 
had  made  a  study  of  foreign  art  and  artists,  and  prided 
himself  on  his  knowledge  in  that  direction  ;  he  was, 
therefore,  surprised  beyond  measure  at  learning  that 
the  picture  before  him  was  not  painted  by  the  great 
pupil  of  Rubens,  but  by  an  American  artist,  and  one 
of  whom  he  had  never  heard. 

Jouett  painted  nature  as  he  saw  it.  The  eye  of 
genius  comprehended  form  in  its  appropriate  lines  and 
symmetry,  and  in  color  its  positive,  transparent,  and 
complementary  shadows.  This  ocular  impression  on  the 
retina  was  duplicated  on  the  canvas  with  simplicity  and 
directness,  consequently  his  heads  have  roundness,  and 
preserve  throughout  a  consistent  harmony.  He  had  a 
technique  of  his  own,  and,  with  a  full  and  vigorous 
brush,  applied  the  color  to  the  canvas.  This  is  especially 
shown  in  his  miniatures,  in  that  he  did  not  conform  to 
the  conventional  stippling  and  hatching,  but,  as  in  his 
oil  portraits,  painted  in  a  broad  style  and  with  frequent 
washings.    Drawing  he  considered  of  primary  importance, 


36 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


and  he  was  a  perfect  draftsman,  as  his  portraits  show. 
His  backgrounds  were  simply  treated  and  had  sufficient 
atmosphere  to  reheve  the  head  and  body  and  balance 
the  warm  and  cold  tones.  The  head  being  of  greatest 
interest,  he  subordinated  accessories,  giving  but  little 
attention  to  dress,  especially  in  the  female  sitter. 

The  sentiment  given  to  his  faces  was  more  than  the 
majority  of  the  best  artists  could  accomplish.  This  power 
was  especially  shown  in  his  female  portraits,  and  he 
could  paint  a  woman  with  equal  success  as  a  man. 

Most  artists  are  incapable  of  painting  with  equal 
fideUty  the  male  and  female.  Gilbert  Stuart  and  Healy 
were  striking  examples  of  this  ;  although  they  could  not 
be  excelled  in  painting  male  heads,  they  were  not  always 
so  successful  in  painting  portraits  of  women.  Thomas 
Sully,  on  the  contrary,  was  more  successful  with  his 
female  than  with  his  male  portraits. 

So  pronounced  was  Jouett's  objection  to  detail  in 
dress  that  some  of  his  female  portraits  are  deficient  in 
this  respect,  the  apparel  being  indicated  merely  in  a 
sketchy  manner. 

When  painting  in  Louisville  at  one  time  he  asked 
a  young  gentleman  friend  to  sit  for  him,  and  was  much 
surprised,  when  he  presented  himself  for  the  first  sitting, 
to  see  he  had  bedecked  himself  for  the  occasion  in  a 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


37 


broadcloth  suit,  bufif  vest,  ruffled  shirt  bosom,  and  red 
necktie.  Jouett  greeted  him  with  :  "What  in  the  thunder 
did  you  dress  up  that  way  for  ?  I  expected  to  paint  a 
gentleman,  not  a  confounded  fop.  Remove  that  trumpery 
and  come  back  to  me  in  gentleman's  clothes."  Although 
the  friend  was  surprised  at  this  direction,  he  consented 
to  make  the  change,  and  left  immediately  to  do  so, 
Jouett  remarking,  "I  will  fiddle  until  you  come  back." 
The  writer  has  seen  this  picture,  and  it  is  of  a  very 
handsome  man,  and  is  one  of  Jouett's  best. 

The  few  months'  study  under  Stuart  did  not  cause 
Jouett  to  lose  his  individuality  in  his  execution  or  appre- 
ciably change  his  style.  While  there  is  some  resemblance 
in  their  work,  it  is  caused  by  the  fact  that  they  both 
copied  nature.  Jouett  did  not  try  to  imitate  his  master. 
It  is  this  nearness  to  nature  that  accounts  for  the 
resemblance  of  Jouett's  paintings  to  those  of  Van  Dyke. 

The  greatest  benefit  Jouett  received  from  Stuart  was 
the  knowledge  of  the  chemical  properties  of  the  different 
pigments  so  necessary  in  securing  durability.  Had  he 
had  this  knowledge  in  his  early  use  of  oil,  his  pictures 
would  have  been  better  preserved.  Some  of  his  paint- 
ings, even  since  acquiring  this  chemical  knowledge,  have 
somewhat  deteriorated  in  color,  caused  by  rough  hand- 
ling and  injudicious  cleaning.    He  was  never  known  to 


3S  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 

varnish  his  portraits.  If  he  had  done  so,  they  would 
have  better  stood  the  scratches  and  washings.  His 
ambition  caused  him  to  play  with  color  and  its  com- 
position. Unlike  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  he  was  willing 
to  give  the  result  of  his  experience  to  others.  He 
prepared  a  manuscript  manual  on  oil  painting,  and 
had  it  gone  to  the  publisher  it  would  have  proved  a 
great  help  to  professional  artists  of  smaller  reputation 
and  to  the  beginner  in  art  studies.  The  pallet  he 
most  used  was  adopted  by  some  of  the  artists  who 
followed  him. 

Whether  Jouett's  genius  had  sufficient  latitude  for 
figure  composition  to  have  made  him  as  successful  as 
he  was  in  portraiture  is  not  known,  as  he  left  no  canvas 
on  which  to  base  an  opinion.  His  nearest  approach  to 
composition  is  a  portrait  of  his  wife  and  child  painted 
on  the  same  canvas  (twenty -five  by  thirty  inches). 
The  mother  is  represented  in  a  standing  position,  holding 
in  her  arms  a  handsome,  chubby  boy  baby,  who  looks 
over  his  mother's  bare  shoulder.  The  mother,  in  con- 
sequence, is  represented  in  an  opposite  direction  from 
the  child,  which  gives  a  back  view  of  the  body  and 
head.  It  is  truly  a  masterpiece,  and,  in  the  judgment 
of  the  writer,  would  have  done  credit  to  Rembrandt  or 
Van  Dyke.     Healy  was  enthusiastic  in  his  praise  of  this 


JOUETT'S  WIFE  AND  CHILD. 

From  a  portrait  painted  by  himself. 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


39 


picture,  and  on  one  occasion  said  to  a  brother  painter 
that  it  merited  a  place  in  the  Louvre. 

It  is  exceptional  when  a  painter  is  alike  successful 
in  the  two  departments  of  art.  In  portraiture  the  essen- 
tial quality  is  individuality  accented,  and  in  historical 
and  genre  it  is  character  idealized.  To  correct  likeness 
belongs  expression  as  much  as  form.  With  this  difficulty 
the  character  painter  has  not  to  contend. 

Mobility  of  countenance  is  a  serious  obstacle  in  arriving 
at  a  satisfactory  result.  For  this  reason  Jouett  had  much 
trouble  in  painting  the  portrait  of  Mr.  Henry  Clay.  He 
made  three  attempts,  but  on  account  of  the  variable 
expression  of  the  great  statesman  he  did  not  succeed  to 
his  satisfaction.  The  one  he  most  valued  is  owned  by 
Major  Henry  McDowell,  who  resides  at  Ashland,  the  late 
home  of  Henry  Clay.  Major  McDowell  purchased  it 
from.  Mrs.   Jane  Logan,  of  Shelbyville,  Kentucky, 

It  is  said  that  Henry  Clay  on  one  occasion  took  a 
lad  in  whom  he  was  interested,  and  who  had  expressed 
a  desire  to  study  art,  to  Mr.  Jouett's  studio  with  the 
request  that  the  artist  would  favor  him  as  an  old  friend 
by  taking  him  under  his  care  and  instruction.  Mr. 
Jouett  at  once  took  the  boy  in  his  studio.  After  some 
months'  absence  in  Washington,  Mr.  Clay,  returning  to 
Lexington,  called  at  the  studio  and   made  inquiry  for 


40  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


his  young  protege.  "Well,  Mr.  Jouett,  how  does  the 
lad  progress  ?  "  "  Poorly,"  replied  the  artist.  "  No  special 
talent,  mediocre  abihty. "  "Oh,  well,"  said  the  states- 
man, "we  will  put  him  at  something  else  better  suited 
to  his  capacity."  "Too  late,"  said  Mr.  Jouett.  "Why 
so?"  "He  has  dabbled  in  paint,"  replied  the  artist, 
' '  and  will  never  be  fit  for  any  thing  else. "  This  showed 
that  Jouett  was  a  philosopher  as  well  as  a  painter. 

Possessed  of  a  remarkable  memory  for  the  retention 
of  form,  color,  and  expression,  Jouett  was  enabled  to 
paint  correctly  the  faces  of  acquaintances  long  after  their 
demise.  A  striking  illustration  of  this  is  shown  in  the 
portrait  painted  of  Colonel  John  Allen,  who  fell  at  the 
River  Raisin. 

Jouett's  powers  must  have  been  extraordinary.  All 
artists  were  impressed  by  the  man  and  fascinated  by 
his  work.  Men  of  art  instincts  and  discriminating  judg- 
ment placed  a  high  estimate  upon  his  productions.  As 
an  example  of  the  impression  he  made  upon  artists,  it 
may  not  be  out  of  place  to   give  Neagle's  experience. 

John  Neagle,  of  Philadelphia,  who  attained  a  high 
position  as  portrait  painter,  and  who  married  a  daughter 
of  Thomas  Sully,  thinking  he  could  better  compete  with 
the  rough  Western  painters  than  with  the  educated  artists 
of   the  East,    visited  Lexington   in    1818  with   a  view 


Matthew  Harris  jfouett  41 


to  establishing  himself  permanently  in  that  growing  town. 
On  arriving  he  asked  if  there  were  any  portrait  painters 
there.  He  was  astonished  to  learn  there  were  two. 
Starting  out  to  look  them  up,  he  chanced  to  go  first 
to  Jouett's  studio.  Upon  examining  the  work  he  quickly 
decided  he  could  never  be  the  leading  portrait  painter 
of  Lexington,  and  determined  not  to  remain,  as  there 
would  be  no  hope  for  employment  with  such  a  rival  to 
contend  with.  Neagle,  discouraged  and  without  money, 
had  many  difficulties  and  much  anxiety  before  he  got 
back  to  Philadelphia,  and  concluded  to  measure  swords 
with  other  than  backwoods  artists  in  the  future.  The 
return  to  Philadelphia  proved  a  wise  decision,  for  in  a 
few  years  he  became  one  of  the  leading  portrait  painters, 
and,  in  1840,  was  commissioned  by  the  admirers  of 
Henry  Clay  in  that  city  to  paint  his  full-length  portrait. 
He  therefore  again  made  a  visit  to  Lexington  to  procure 
sittings  from  the  great  Commoner. 

In  a  letter  to  the  late  Mr.  Jouett  Menefee,  of  this 
city,  from  the  great  artist  Healy,  he  thus  expresses  his 
opinion  of  Jouett : 

Paris,  October  12,  1878. 

My  Dear  Mr,  Menefee  : 

I  am  very  happy  to  hear  from  you  and  your  dear  mother, 
whose  health  is,  I  hope,  better  than  when  I  saw  you  both  in 
Rome.    I  am  also  glad  that  you  intend  to  give  the  world  some 


42  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


account  of  Stuart's  best  pupil,  your  gifted  grandfather,  of  whom 
our  greatest  portrait  painter  was  so  fond  and  so  proud.  I  often 
heard  our  friend,  the  late  Oliver  Frazer,  speak  with  pride  and 
affection  of  him  when  I  first  knew  him  in  Europe.  But  when  I 
saw  the  work  of  our  gifted  countryman,  Mr.  Jouett,  I  fully  under- 
stood what  Frazer  had  said,  and  that  we  have  great  reason  to 
feel  proud  of  him.  I  well  remember  being  told  by  our  friend 
that  Stuart  used  to  call  his  favorite,  while  his  pupil,  not  by  his 
name,  but  simply  "Kentucky."  I  feel  sure  that  as  the  works  of 
your  grandfather  become  more  known,  his  just  fame  will  be  more 
and  more  widely  established.  I  am  sincerely  rejoiced  that  you 
are  to  execute  this  work  of  simple  justice  to  the  honor  and  glory 
of  one  of  the  most  gifted  and  best  artists  our  country  has  ever 
produced.    I  wish  I  had  more  details  to  give  you. 

I  beg  you  to  say  to  your  mother  that  I  am  working  away  as 
when  we  saw  each  other  in  Rome.  I  wish  you  and  she  could 
be  here  now  to  enjoy  the  great  Exposition,  especially  the  art 
department,  which  is  so  rich  that  you  would  wish  to  take  up 
your  abode  there  for  a  month. 

I  went  for  a  few  weeks  to  Coblentz  for  the  treatment  of  my 
eyes  by  my  oculist,  Dr.  Menrer.  He  has  done  them  a  world  of 
good  ;  the  rest  was  also  of  great  use.  I  am  grieved  to  feel  I 
may  never  return  home,  having  lost  every  thing  by  the  lire  of 
Chicago,  and  being  too  old  to  commence  life  anew  ;  besides  this, 
four  of  my  children  are  settled  in  Europe,  so  I  suppose  I  shall 
have  to  remain  away  from  home. 

My  wife  and  family  join  me  in  kind  regards  to  you  and  your 
dear  mother. 

Ever  sincerely  your  friend, 

George  P.  Healy. 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


43 


At  his  country  home,  August  lo,  1827,  on  Matthew 
Jouett  the  curtain  fell,  ever  shutting  from  his  view  nature, 
the  source  of  his  matchless  inspiration.  He  died,  after 
a  short  illness,  in  his  fortieth  year.  Thus  to  be  cut 
down  in  early  manhood,  at  the  full  tide  of  professional 
success  and  the  promise  of  greater  possibilities,  is  a  prov- 
idential dispensation  which  the  finite  mind  is  incapable 
of  interpreting.  His  admiring  friends  had,  however,  the 
comfort  of  knowing  that  he  had  accomplished  as  much 
in  the  ten  years  of  his  professional  life  as  many  others 
of  the  brush  are  able  to  do  in  a  long  lifetime. 

A  few  days  after  the  funeral  the  following  poem 
appeared  in  the  Focus,  published  in  Lexington : 

The  death  news  came.    Behold  he  lies 

Upon  his  funeral  bier, 
Crowned  with  the  laurels  of  his  fame 

That  never  shall  soon  sear. 

Where  wert  thou.  Genius  ?    Nature,  where  ? 

When  he,  your  favorite,  lay 
Struggling  with  Death  ?    Why  flew  ye  not 

To  wrench  Death's  darts  away  ? 

Could  ye  not  save  ?    No,  no,  I  feel 

Your  powerless  love,  you  moan 
Or  surely  you  had  sped  full  fast 

To  shield,  to  save  your  own. 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


O  !  Nature,  't  is  my  wild,  wild  dream 

The  wondrous  gift  you  gave 
Thy  son,  provoked  the  vengeful  dart 

That  hurled  him  to  the  grave. 

He  was,  indeed.  Death's  harmless  foe, 

For  by  his  pencil's  art 
With  magic  triumph  high  he  soared 

Above  the  spoiler's  dart. 

He  bade  the  living  sweetly  feel 

When  life's  brief  sun  was  set. 
Their  pictured  forms  would  still  shine  on 

And  show  them  living  yet. 

But,  ah  !  his  genius  led  too  far. 

Too  high  it  did  aspire. 
When  from  the  tomb's  long  mouldering  forms 

He  waked  their  living  fire. 

And  bade  it  on  the  canvas  glow 

So  strangely  true  and  bright. 
That  eyes  that  long  had  wept  the  dead 

Ran  o'er  with  sad  delight. 

Jouett !  thou  wert  to  us  a  pride, 

For  cradled  in  the  wild, 
In  our  own  woods,  thy  soul  took  wing, 

Thy  opening  genius  smiled. 

Though  we,  thy  country,  mourn  thee  now, 

Our  grief  may  know  control ; 
But  there  is  one  whose  bosom's  hopes 

Fled  with  thy  parting  soul. 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


45 


Her  eye  is  gazing  on  thy  grave, 

Her  heart  within  is  laid  ; 
The  fatherless  are  wailing  round, 

"O!  Mother,  he  is  dead." 

Peace  to  thy  breaking  heart,  lone  dove, 

Though  riven  from  thy  mate  ; 
For  coming  years  e'en  yet  may  find 

Thee  not  all  desolate. 

Yes,  those  young  heart-sobs  now 

Deep  mixing  with  thine  own, 
Shall  oft  impart  sweet  dreams  to  thee 

Of  him  whose  spirit 's  flown. 

Far  through  the  day  thy  now  sore  love, 
Touched  by  time's  mellowing  beam. 

Shall  then  all  sweetly  wrap  thy  soul. 
And  be  its  loveliest  dream. 

Jouett !  from  one  whose  heart  was  thine, 

These  lines  have  struggled  forth  ; 
Who  wears  within  his  bosom  now 

The  picture  of  thy  worth. 

His  remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  the  family  burying- 
ground  of  his  father  -  in  -  law,  Mr.  William  Allen,  in  the 
presence  of  relatives  and  a  host  of  admiring  friends. 


4^  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


OBITUARY. 

(  From  the  Lexington  Reporter  of  Wednesday,  August  15,  1827.) 

Died,  last  Friday  afternoon,  at  his  residence,  near  this  place,  Matthew 
H.  Jouett,  Esquire,  an  artist  of  rare  genius  and  of  considerable  celebrity. 
As  a  father,  husband,  friend,  and  citizen  his  death  is  deeply  lamented,  for  in 
all  these  relations  he  occupied  an  elevated  and  enviable  station  in  our  society. 

Mr.  Smith  : 

Permit  me  through  your  paper  to  notice  the  last  moments  of 
our  departed  friend,  Matthew  H.  Jouett.  On  Sunday  evening, 
the  29th  of  July,  he  arrived  at  home  from  Louisville,  where  he 
had  been  for  some  time  in  the  line  of  his  profession.  The  morn- 
ing after  his  arrival  he  found  himself  indisposed  by  an  attack  of 
bilious  fever.  The  symptoms  at  first  did  not  appear  of  the  most 
malignant  kind,  but  the  disease  rapidly  disclosed  its  virulent 
character,  so  that  by  the  sixth  day,  notwithstanding  the  strength 
of  his  constitution  and  the  prompt  use  of  powerful  counteracting 
medicines,  his  condition  was  painful  and  alarming.  From  that 
time  till  the  tenth  day  of  his  illness  his  physicians  and  friends 
were  balanced  between  hope  and  fear.  His  firmness  and  confi- 
dence in  the  use  of  the  means  never  once  forsook  him  till  the 
tenth  day  in  the  evening  ;  finding  himself  then  entirely  prostrated 
and  without  the  command  of  his  limbs,  he  for  the  first  time 
expressed  his  belief  that  he  would  be  compelled  to  leave  us. 
He  survived  but  two  days  longer,  during  which  time  he  dictated 
the  condition  of  his  affairs  and  directed  his  thoughts  to  a  future 
state.  On  the  morning  preceding  his  departure  he  gave  his  dear 
wife  and  children  in  charge  to  a  beloved  brother-in-law,  and,  in 
the  most  impressive  and  energetic  manner,  dedicated  his  soul  to 
God  and  humbly  prayed  that  he  might  be  received  into  Heaven. 
He  died  like  a  philosopher,  yet  relying  upon  the  merits  and 


Matthew  Harris  yoiiett 


47 


intercession  of  the  Saviour.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  his 
vast  mental  faculties,  though  besieged  in  the  fortress  of  the 
body,  retained  their  accustomed  vigor  and  discrimination  to  the 
last  moment  of  his  life.  During  the  day  his  anxious  friends 
frequently  expressed  their  hope  that  he  was  getting  better.  He 
replied,  "I  distinctly  feel  death  crawling  up  my  body.  I  shall 
soon  be  gone."  He  calmly  measured  every  encroachment  of 
death  till  it  swallowed  up  his  body  in  victory.  Thus  died  in  the 
prime  of  life  one  of  the  best  and  most  noble  of  men.  I  will  not 
speak  of  the  extraordinary  endowments  which  he  was  known  to 
possess,  and  which  but  few  are  born  to  cultivate.  I  will  merely 
allude  to  his  qualifications  as  a  man,  in  the  relations  of  husband, 
father,  and  friend,  in  which  his  loss  will  be  most  felt.  As  a 
husband  he  was  one  of  the  kindest  and  most  devoted  ;  he  was 
adored  by  his  amiable  wife.  As  a  father  his  earthly  happiness 
and  desire  to  live  was  mainly  centered  in  his  numerous  little 
offspring.  How  often  has  the  writer  mingled  his  feelings  with 
the  fears  of  the  father  that  by  some  accident  he  would  be  called 
from  the  guardianship  of  his  children  !  The  development  and 
virtuous  direction  of  their  infant  minds  was  his  ruling  concern. 
As  a  friend  all  the  powers  of  his  uncommon  intellect  and  pure 
feelings  were  brought  to  bear  upon  and  to  chasten  friendship, 
the  dearest  and  most  disinterested  of  earthly  relations.  It  was 
in  the  hour  of  adversity  that  he  sought  to  appreciate  character, 
whether  depressed  by  providence,  popular  clamor,  or  the  fruits 
of  indiscretion.  His  mind,  as  if  inspired  by  heaven,  seized  the 
bright  spark  in  the  character  of  the  victim,  fanned  it  into  a 
flame,  and  placed  it  in  propitious  contrast  to  the  dark  shade. 
But  he  is  gone,  regretted  and  beloved  by  all  who  knew  him. 
Let  us  remember  his  virtues  and  endeavor  to  imitate  them. 

A  Friend. 


48  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


A  few  years  ago  his  body  with  that  of  his  wife  and 
son-in-law  (Honorable  Richard  H.  Menefee)  were  removed 
to  Louisville  and  reinterred  in  Cave  Hill  Cemetery. 
Appropriate  monuments  mark  their  graves. 

Although  Jouett's  brush  was  prolific,  he  left  his  large 
family  not  more  than  a  comfortable  support.  Had  he 
lived  in  New  York  the  pecuniary  returns  of  his  brush 
would  have  been  more  than  a  competency  to  have  been 
enjoyed  by  his  family.  To  show  what  advantages  an 
artist  had  in  the  East,  the  writer  quotes  from  Charles 
Henry  Hart  in  the  October  (1898)  Century  on  Gilbert 
Stuart:  "In  later  days,  with  sitters  besieging  his  doors, 
he  would  turn  them  away,  one  by  one,  until  the  larder 
was  empty  and  there  was  not  a  penny  left  in  the 
purse.  Then  he  would  go  to  work,  and  in  an  incredibly 
short  time  produce  one  of  his  masterpieces."  Jouett, 
on  account  of  his  energy  and  responsibility  of  family, 
had  he  had  the  same  environments,  would  have  been  even 
more  successful  than  his  preceptor,  Stuart.  Through 
the  diligence  of  his  grandson,  the  late  Richard  Jouett 
Menefee,  three  hundred  and  twelve  portraits  painted  by 
his  grandfather  have  been  located  and  the  owners 
ascertained. 

Mrs.  Jouett,  on  a  small  farm  of  thirty  acres,  was 
able,  by  her  fine  business  qualities,  to  provide  food  and 


Matthew  Harris  yoiiett 


49 


clothing,  and  to  educate  her  children.  The  care  and 
training  she  gave  her  nine  fatherless  children  bore  good 
fruit,  for  the  four  that  reached  maturity  were  an  orna- 
ment to  society  and  a  credit  to  the  State. 

George  P.  Jouett,  the  eldest,  when  he  attained  man- 
hood was  respected  and  honored  by  his  fellow  -  citizens, 
and  was  twice  elected  Mayor  of  Lexington,  Kentucky. 
At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  War  he  offered  his 
services  to  the  Government,  and  by  the  Governor  was 
appointed  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  Fifteenth  Kentucky 
Volunteer  Infantry.  At  the  Battle  of  Perryville,  October 
8,  1862,  he  courageously  gave  his  life  to  his  country. 

Sarah  B.  married,  while  in  her  teens,  the  Honorable 
Richard  H.  Menefee,  the  great  orator  and  statesman.  After 
a  few  years  of  conjugal  happiness  the  bonds  of  union 
were  broken  by  the  death  of  the  husband.  Mrs.  Men- 
efee was  a  wonderful  woman,  in  that  she  maintained 
the  vigor  of  a  strong  intellect  and  tenacious  memory 
to  the  end  of  her  long  and  useful  life.  Like  her  father, 
she  was  a  brilliant  conversationalist.  She  died  December 
13,  1898,  in  her  eighty  -  fourth  year. 

Rear  Admiral  James  Edward  Jouett  was  educated  at 
the  Naval  Academy,  and  his  naval  achievements  during 
the  Civil  War  are  household  words,  and  by  the  future 
historian  he  will  be  coupled  with  Farragut. 


So  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


Matthew  H.  Jouett,  junior,  was  in  the  Kentucky  Federal 
Cavalry  with  the  rank  of  Captain,  and  made  a  record 
of  which  Kentucky  should  be  proud.  For  some  years 
he  has  been  retired  from  the  army,  and  is  now  living 
on  a  farm  in  Missouri. 

Richard  Jouett  Menefee,  the  grandson  of  the  great 
painter,  the  writer  must  not  pass,  although  his  memory 
is  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  citizens  of  Louisville,  and 
to  speak  of  his  virtues  would  be  but  tearing  away  the 
myrtle  from  the  face  of  his  tomb  to  read  his  epitaph. 
A  few  years  before  his  death  he  undertook  the  filial  duty 
of  making  a  catalogue  of  his  grandfather's  paintings  and 
writing  his  biography.  He  talked  to  those  in  the  city 
and  wrote  to  those  outside  who  he  knew  owned  paintings 
by  Jouett  for  accurate  information  concerning  the  pictures 
they  owned,  and  asked  them  for  information  concerning 
others  having  such  paintings.  In  this  way  he  acquired 
a  valuable  fund  of  information  on  the  subject,  and  as 
it  came  to  him  he  made  a  catalogue  of  the  pictures 
and  their  owners.  His  main  object  was  to  write  a 
monograph  for  The  Filson  Club,  of  which  he  was  a 
member,  embracing  a  biography  of  Jouett,  illustrated 
by  steel  engravings  or  halftones  of  his  principal  works. 
He  made  considerable  progress  in  his  undertaking,  but 
before  he  could  finish  it  death  overtook  him  and  deprived 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


51 


The  Filson  Club  and  the  world  of  art  of  a  valuable 
work.  Fortunately,  he  made  a  catalogue  of  the  paint- 
ings and  their  owners  as  the  information  was  gathered, 
and  the  following  is  a  copy  of  that  catalogue  as  he 
left  it  : 

CATALOGUE  OF  JOUETT'S  PICTURES  AND  THEIR  OWNERS. 

1.  Portrait  of  Artist  Matthew  H.  Jouett.      Owned   by   R.   J.  Menefee, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

2.  Portrait  of  Jouett's  wife  (veil).      Owned  by  R.  J.  Menefee,  Louis- 

ville, Ky. 

3.  Portrait  of    lady.    Miss   Allen    (Mrs.    Rebecca   Redd).      Owned  by 

R.  J.  Menefee,  Louisville,  Ky. 

4.  Portrait   of    Jouett's   wife    (Virginia    pictui'e).      Owned    by    R.  J. 

Menefee,  Louisville,  Ky. 

5.  Portrait,  three-quarter  length,  of  old  lady  (Mrs.  Wm.  Allen).  Owned 

by  R.  J.  Menefee,  Louisville,  Ky. 

6.  Portrait  of    same   (Mrs.    Wm.   Allen),   miniature,  gold.      Owned  by 

R.  J.  Menefee,  Louisville,  Ky. 

7.  Portrait  of  Jouett's  wife  and  infant  child.      Owned  by  R.  J.  Men 

efee,  Louisville,  Ky. 

8.  Portrait  of  Henry  Clay  (Morris  picture).    Owned  by  J.  F.  Johnston 

Lexington,  Ky. 

9.  Portrait  of  Col.  Edmund   H.  Taylor,  Sr.      Owned  by  Edmund  H 

Taylor,  Jr.,  Frankfort,  Ky. 

10.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Samuel  Brown.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Ben.  Hardin  Helm 

Elizabethtown,  Ky. 

11.  Portrait  of  Charles  Sproule.      Owned  by  Mrs.  Ben.  Hardin  Helm 

Elizabethtown,  Ky. 

12.  Portrait  of  Gen.  George  Rogers  Clark.     Owned  by  Col.  R.  T.  Durrett 

Louisville,  Ky. 

13.  Portrait    of    Henry    Clay  when    about    forty-five    (Logan  picture) 

Owned  by  H.  C.  McDowell,  Lexington,  Ky. 

14.  Portrait  of   Dr.  Alex.  Mitchell.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Alvin  Frazer,  Lej( 

ington,  Ky. 


52  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


15.  Portrait  of  boy  and  girl,  sketch  in  oil  of  two  heads.    Owned  by  Mrs. 

Alvin  Frazer,  Lexington,  Ky. 

16.  Miniature  (ivory),  Wm.  Brand,  Esq.      Owned  by  Mrs.  E.  N.  War- 

field,  Pewee  Valley,  Ky. 

17.  Miniature  (ivory),  Mrs.  Brand.      Owned  by   Mrs.   E.   N.  Warfield, 

Pewee  Valley,  Ky. 

18.  Portrait    of    Dr.    Horace    HoUey.      Owned    by   Austin   Hall,  Esq., 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

19.  Portrait  of  Mr.   John   Brand   (1818).      Owned   by   Mrs.    Eliza  B. 

Woodward,  Lexington,  Ky. 

20.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  Brand  (1818).     Owned  by  Mrs.  Eliza  B.  Wood- 

ward, Lexington,  Ky. 

21.  Portrait  of  child,  full  length.    Owned  by  Mrs.  Ed.  Humphrey,  Louis- 

ville, Ky. 

22.  Portrait  of   Gov.    Isaac   Shelby.     Owned   by  Shelby   Todd,  Esq., 

Louisville,  Ky. 

23.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Nanette  Smith  (canvas).      Owned  by  Mrs.  H.  C. 

Pindle,  Louisville,  Ky. 

24.  Portrait  of  Col.  James  Morrison  (canvas).     Owned  by  Mrs.  H.  C, 

Pindle,  Louisville,  Ky. 

25.  Portrait  of  H.  R.  Hill  (wood).     Owned  by  Mrs.  Barry  Coleman. 

26.  Three  Marys  at  the  Tomb  (large  copy).     Owned  by  the  Cathedral, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

27.  Portrait  of  Col.    Edward   Stockton.      Owned  by  Mrs.  S.  E.  Laird, 

Birmingham,  Ala. 

28.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Edward  Stockton.      Owned  by  Mrs.  S.  E.  Laird, 

Birmingham,  Ala. 

29.  Portrait  of  Col.  John  Morris.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Ann  Edgar,  Frank- 

fort, Ky. 

30.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Ann  Morris.      Owned  by  Mrs.  Ann  Edgar,  Frank- 

fort, Ky. 

31.  Portrait    of    Mrs.    Emily    Tubman.      Owned    by    Landon  Thomas, 

Frankfort,  Ky, 

32.  Life  size,  full  length  of  Marquis  de  La  Fayette.     State  House,  Frank- 

fort, Ky. 

33.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  Norton.     Owned  by   Mrs.  Geo.  W.  Norton, 

Lexington,  Ky. 

34.  Portrait  of  Dr.  B.  W.  Dudley.      Owned  by  Dr.  Robt.  Peter,  Lex- 

ington, Ky. 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


53 


35.  Portrait  of  Anne  Pope  at  fifteen,  later  wife  of  Larz.  Anderson.  Owned 

by  Misses  Anderson,  Dayton,  O. 

36.  Sketch   of    Peter   Grayson.       Owned    by    R.    J.   Menefee,  Louis- 

ville^  Ky. 

37.  Portrait   of  Daniel  Weisiger  (wood).     Owned   by   A.  J.  Alexander, 

Woodford,  Ky.,  Spring  Station. 

38.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Daniel  Weisiger  (wood).     Owned  by  A.  J.  Alexander, 

Woodford,  Ky. ,  Spring  Station. 

39.  Pen  sketch.  Mother  and  Children.     Owned  by  R.  J.  Menefee,  Louis- 

ville, Ky. 

40.  Pen  sketch,  Historical  Carpenter  (rough  study).      Owned  by  R.  J. 

Menefee,  Louisville,  Ky. 

41.  Portrait  of  Rev.  James  Blythe.      Owned  by  Miss  Margaret  Blythe, 

Hartford,  Conn. 

42.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Margaret  Blythe.     Owned  by  Miss  Margaret  Blythe, 

Hartford,  Conn. 

43.  Portrait  of  Hon.  John  Brown.     Owned  by  John  Mason  Brown,  Louis- 

ville, Ky. ,  and  in  old  homestead  at  Frankfort,  Ky. 

44.  Portrait  of    Hon.    James    Brown.     Owned   by   John    Mason  Brown, 

Louisville,  Ky.,  and  in  old  homestead  at  Frankfort,  Ky. 

45.  Portrait  of  Col.   John  Allen,  who  fell   at  River  Raisin  (painted  from 

memory  after  death).    Owned  by  John  Allen  Murray,  Cloverport,  Ky. 

46.  Portrait  of  Hugh  Allen.     Owned  by  Howard  Hunter,  Louisville,  Ky. 

47.  Portrait  of    Henderson    Allen.      Owned   by  Howard   Hunter,  Louis- 

ville, Ky. 

48.  Portrait  of  Judge  Robert  Crittenden.     Owned  by  Mrs.  A.  J.  Edgar, 

Frankfort,  Ky. 

49.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Robert  Crittenden  (1823).     Owned   by  Mrs.  A.  J. 

Edgar,  Frankfort,  Ky. 

50.  Portrait  of  Judge  Harry  Innis  (painted  from  memory).      Owned  by 

Capt.  Harry  L  Todd,  Frankfort,  Ky.  (George  D.  Todd,  Louis- 
ville, Ky.) 

51.  Portrait  of  Mrs.    Anne    Innis.      Owned    by    Capt.    Harry    I.  Todd, 

Frankfort,  Ky.  (George  D.  Todd,  Louisville,  Ky. ) 

52.  Portrait  of   Justice    Thomas  Todd,   United   States    Supreme  Court. 

Owned  by  Capt.  Harry  L  Todd,  Frankfort,  Ky.  (George  D.  Todd, 
Louisville,  Ky.) 

53- 


54  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


54.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  A.  K.  WooUey.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Peter  White,  Cin- 

cinnati, O. 

55.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Col.  John  Todd  (wood).    Owned  by  Mrs.  Margaret 

Wickhffe  Preston. 

56.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Wm.  Preston  {nee  Margaret  Wickliffe)  in  early  child- 

hood.    Owned  by  Mrs.  Margaret  Wickliffe  Preston. 

57.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  Preston  {nee  Mary  H.  Wickliffe)  in  early  child- 

hood.   Owned  by  Mrs.  Margaret  Wickliffe  Preston. 

58.  Portrait  (miniature)  of  John  Speed  Smith.   Owned  by  Gen.  Clay  Smith, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

59.  Portrait  of  Rev.  Mr.  McCoy.     Owned  by  his  grandson,  J.  C.  McCoy, 

of  Missouri. 

60.  Portrait  of  Col.   John  Postlewait.      Owned  by  W.   Frank  Pragoff, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

61.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Wm.  S.  Dallam  and  infant  child,  Letitia  (painted  in 

1818  for  Maj.  Wm.  S.  Dallam).  Owned  by  Dr.  Robt.  Peter, 
Lexington,  Ky. 

62.  Portrait  (group)  of  Mrs.  Robt.  Peter  and  sister,  Elizabeth  Dallam,  when 

girls  of  eleven  and  five  years.  (Unfinished.)  Owned  by  Dr.  Robt. 
Peter,  Lexington,  Ky. 

63.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Samuel  Meredith,  sister  of   Hon.  John  Breckinridge 

(painted  for  Maj.  W.  S.  Dallam  in  1826).  Owned  by  Dr.  Robt. 
Peter,  Lexington,  Ky. 

64.  Portrait  of  Dr.  B.  W.  Dudley,  the  great  surgeon,  about  1825  to  1826 

(painted  for  Maj.  W.  S.  Dallam).  Owned  by  Dr.  Robt.  Peter, 
Lexington,  Ky. 

65.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Joseph  Boswell  (23x38^2).      Owned  by  Mrs, 

Benjamin  Gratz,  Lexington,  Ky. 

66.  Portrait  of   Miss  Maria  Cecil  Gist,  later  Mrs.  Benj.  Gratz.  Owned 

by  Dr.  Wm.  T.  Barry,  Chicago,  111. 

67.  Portrait  of   Mrs.  Wm.  T.  Barry.      Owned   by   Dr.  Wm.  T.  Barry, 

Chicago,  111. 

68.  Portrait  of  Miss  Mary  Barry  (a  child  six  years  old).    Owned  by  Dr. 

Wm.  T.  Barry,  Chicago,  111. 

69.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Rainey.     Owned  by  H.  C.  Rainey,  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky. 

70.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Joseph  Scott.    Owned  by  Mrs.  Holloway,  Ray  Co.,  Mo. 

71.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Joseph  Scott.     Owned  by  Mrs,  Holloway,  Ray 

Co.,  Mo. 


Matthew  Harris  yoiteit 


55 


72.  Miniature  of  John  Postlewait  (ivory,  gold).    Owned  by  Mrs.  W.  G. 

Pragoff,  Louisville,  Ky. 

73.  Portrait  of  Matthew  Jouett,  artist.     Owned  by  R.  J.  Menefee,  Louis- 

ville, Ky. 

74.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Thornton  Lewis  (1815).    Owned  by  Mrs.  Thornton 

Lewis,  Winchester,  Ky. 

75.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Stephen  Lewis  (1815).    Owned  by  Mrs.  Thornton 

Lewis,  Winchester,  Ky. 

76.  Portrait  of  La  Fayette.      (Bust  he  painted  from  life  for  C.  L.  Wm. 

Rodes.)  Owned  by  Mrs.  Pauline  Rodes,  Woodlawn,  near  Rich- 
mond, Ky. 

77.  Portrait  of  Col.  Cuthbert  Bullitt.     Owned  by  Cuthbert  Bullitt,  Esq., 

Louisville,  Ky. 

78.  Portrait  of  Robert  Crockett,  of  Kentucky  (wood).     Owned  by  Mrs.  J. 

B.  Crockett,  Oakland,  Cal. 

79.  Portrait  of  Mrs.   Robert  Crockett  (wood).     Owned  by  Mrs.  J.  B. 

Crockett,  Oakland,  Cal. 

80. 

81.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Margaret  Fletcher  {tiee  Nicholas),  24^x28.  Owned 

by  Mrs.  Dr.  D,  O.  Davies,  Henderson,  Ky. 

82.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Ewing.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Henry  L.  Pope,  Louis- 

ville, Ky. 

83.  Portrait  of  Peter  B.  Ormsby.    Owned  by  Dr.  Ormsby  Gray,  Louis. 

ville,  Ky. 

84. 

85- 
86. 
87. 

88.  Portrait  of  Gen.  Robt.  P.  Letcher.     Owned  by  Mrs.  A.  B.  Hopper, 
Lancaster,  Ky. 

8g.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Samuel  Brown  (I4  ).      Owned  by  John  M.  Brown, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

90.  Portrait  of  Preston  W.  Brown.      Owned  by   Dr.  Preston  B.  Scott, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

91.  Portrait  of  James  Masterson. 

92.  Portrait  of  Thomas  Jefferson  (copy),  attributed  to  Jouett.  (Stuart's.) 

Owned  by  W.  C.  P.  Breckinridge,  Lexington,  Ky. 

93.  Portrait  of  David  Castleman.     Owned  by  Gen.  John  B.  Castleman, 

Louisville,  Ky. 


56 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


94.  Portrait  of  Rev.  John  Breckinridge.    Owned  by  Gen.  John  B.  Castle- 

man,  Louisville,  Ky. 

95.  Portrait  of  Dr.  N.  A.  Gait.     Owned  by  Mrs.  S.  F.  Chipley,  Pensa- 

cola,  Fla. 

96.  Portrait  of  Miss  Matilda  Maupin.      Owned  by  Mr.  Arthur  Brown, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

97- 
98. 

99.  Portrait  of  Gov.  Geo.   Madison,  of  Kentucky.      Owned  by  Mrs.  P. 
Blair  Lee,  Silver  Spring,  Md. 

100.  Portrait  of  Mr.  Frank  Preston  Blair,  Sr.  (burned).    Owned  by  Mrs. 

S.  P.  Blair  Lee,  Silver  Spring,  Md. 

10 1.  Portrait  of  Miss  Betsy  Downing.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Henriette  Craig, 

Lexington,  Ky. 

102.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  Jordan  {nee  von  Phul).    Thought  to  have  gone 

into  the  family  of  her  brother,  Henry  von  Phul,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

103.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Nathaniel  Hart.    Owned  by  Miss  Lizzie  Hart,  Lex- 

ington, Ky. 

104.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Mary  Ann  Castleman  {nee  Breckinridge).    Owned  by 

Mrs.  Dr.  Wm.  Webb,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

105. 

106.  Portrait  of  Mr.  A.  F.  Hawkins.    Owned  by  Samuel  F.  Leary,  near 

Midway,  Ky. 

107.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  A.  F.  Hawkins.    Owned  by  Samuel  F.  Leary,  near 

Midway,  Ky. 

108.  Portrait  of  Gen.  Wm.  O.  Butler.    Owned  in  Carrollton,  Ky. 

log.  Portrait  of  Asa  Blanchard.  Owned  by  A.  B.  Gatewood,  Covington,  Ky. 
no.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Rebecca  Blanchard.      Owned  by  A.  B.  Gatewood, 
Covington,  Ky. 

111.  Portrait  of  Horatio  F.   Blanchard.      Owned  by   A.   B.  Gatewood, 

Covington,  Ky. 

112.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Mary  L.  Gatewood.     Owned  by  A.  B.  Gatewood, 

Covington,  Ky. 

113.  Portrait  of  Col.  Geo.  P.  Jouett  as  a  lad  of  ten  years  (sketch  in  oil). 

Owned  by  R.  J.  Menefee,  Louisville,  Ky. 

114.  Portrait  of  Dr.  W.  C.  Gait.      Owned  by  Dr.  W.  H.   Gait,  Louis- 

ville, Ky. 

115.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Eliza  Turner.    Owned  by  Mrs.  John  T.  McMurran, 

Woodland,  near  Natchez,  Miss. 


Mattheiv  Harris  youett 


57 


116.  Portrait  of  Mary  Louisa  Turner  (now  Mrs.  John  T.  McMurran).  Owned 

by  Mrs.  John  T.  McMurran,  Woodland,  near  Natchez,  Miss. 

117.  Portrait  of  Wm.  B.  Griffith.      Owned  by  Mrs.   John  T.  McMurran, 

Woodland,  near  Natchez,  Miss. 

118.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Theodosia  T.  Griffith  and  daughter,  Mary.  Owned 

by  Mrs.  John  T.  McMurran,  Woodland,  near  Natchez,  Miss. 

119.  Portrait  of  Judge  E.  Turner.      Owned  by  Mrs.  John  T.  McMurran, 

Woodland,  near  Natchez,  Miss. 

120.  Portrait  of  Gen.  John  A.  Quitman  (painted  for  himself).     Owned  by 

Mrs.  Antonia  Quitman  Lovell,  Palmyra  Plantation,  Ogden,  Warren 
Co.,  Miss. 

121.  Portrait  of  Eliza  Turner  Quitman.    Owned  by  Mrs.  Antonia  Quitman, 

Ogden,  Miss. 

122.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  A.  K.  Woolley  (^iiee  Wickliffe).    Owned  by  Mrs.  Peter 

A.  White,  Cincinnati,  O. 

123.  Portrait  of  Dr.  A.  P.  Merrill.     Owned  by  Hon.  A.  P.  Merrill,  near 

Natchez,  Miss. 

124.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  A.  P.  Merrill.     Owned  by  Hon.  A.  P.  Merrill,  near 

Natchez,  Miss. 

125.  Portrait  of  John  Newton  Helm  (1826).     Owned  by  Mrs.  C.  R.  Railey, 

224  Eighth  St.,  New  Orleans,  La. 

126.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  Newton  Helm  (painted  for  Mr.  Thomas  Helm, 

of  Mississippi).  Owned  by  Mrs.  C.  R.  Railey,  224  Eighth  St., 
New  Orleans,  La. 

127.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Emmons,  of  Kentucky.      Owned  by  Mrs.  Varina  B. 

Gaither,  Vidalia,  La. 

128.  Portrait  of   Hon.  Geo.  M.  Bibb.      Owned  by  Mrs.  Fannie  Burnley, 

Frankfort,  Ky. 

129.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Geo.  M.  Bibb,  daughter  of  Gen.  Scott.     Owned  by 

Mrs.  Fannie  Burnley,  Frankfort,  Ky. 

130.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Gen.  Charles   Scott.      Owned  by  Mrs.  Fannie 

Burnley,  Frankfort,  Ky. 

131.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  Breckinridge  {nee  Mary  Hoffman  Cabell,  mother 

of  Joseph  Cabell).     Owned  by  Mrs.  Mary  Bullock,  Lexington,  Ky, 

132.  Portrait  of  Joseph   Cabell   Breckinridge,   son  of  John  Breckinridge, 

father  of  John  C.  Breckinridge.  Owned  by  Cabell  B.  Bullock, 
Lexington,  Ky. 

133.  Portrait  of   Mrs.  Dr.  John  M.  Scott.     Owned  by  Mrs.  J.  Alexander 

Grant,  Frankfort,  Ky. 


58 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


134.  Portrait  of  Martin  Blake.  Owned  by  Henry  V.  Sanders,  Louisville,  Ky. 

135.  Portrait  of  Rev.  Dr.  Horace   Holley.      Owned  by  W.  E.  Burr,  St. 

Louis,  Mo. 

136.  Miniature  of   Mary   Bell   Mitchell,    infant.      Owned  by   Mrs.  Oliver 

Frazer,  Lexington,  Ky. 

137.  Portrait  of   Mrs.    Betsy   Mitchell.      Owned  by   Mrs.   Oliver  Frazer, 

Lexington,  Ky. 

138.  Portrait  of  Samuel  H.  Woodson.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Anna  Meade  Letcher, 

Nicholasville,  Ky. 

139.  Portrait  of  Gen.  Geo.  Trotter  (from  memory).     Owned  by  Mr.  Sam. 

F.  Leary,  Midway,  Ky. 

140.  Portrait  of  Lawrence  Leary  (two  of  same).      Owned  by  Mr.  Sam.  F. 

Leary,  Midway,  Ky. 

141.  Portrait  of  Lawrence  Leary. 

142.  Portrait  of  James  Masterson  (small  full  length).      Owned  by  R.  A, 

Metcalf,  Lexington,  Ky. 

143.  Portrait  of  Samuel  McDowell,  first  Marshal  of  Kentucky. 

144.  Portrait  of  Wm.    Starling,  Revolutionary  soldier.      Owned  by  Mrs. 

Pepper,  Frankfort,  Ky. 

145.  Portrait  of  Wm.  Starling,  son  of  above.      Owned  by  Mrs.  Pepper, 

Frankfort,  Ky. 

146.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Wm.  Starling,  wife  of  the  latter.      Owned  by  Mrs. 

Pepper,  Frankfort,  Ky. 

147.  Portrait  of  Judge  John  J.  Marshall.    Owned  by  Mrs.  F.  C.  Marshall, 

Cecilian  Cottage,  Hardin  Co.,  Ky. 

148.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  J.  Marshall.     Owned  by  Mrs.  F.  C.  Marshall, 

Cecilian  Cottage,  Hardin  Co.,  Ky. 

149.  Portrait  of  Humphrey  Marshall  at  five  years  of  age.     Owned  by  Mrs. 

F.  C.  Marshall,  Cecilian  Cottage,  Hardin  Co.,  Ky. 

150.  Portrait  of  Lewis   Marshall  at  eighteen  months   (on  wood  and  well 

preserved).  Owned  by  Mrs.  F.  C.  Marshall,  Cecilian  Cottage, 
Hardin  Co.,  Ky. 

151.  Portrait  of  David  Castleman,  Lexington,  Ky.  (wood).    Owned  by  Judge 

S.  M.  Breckinridge,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

152.  Portrait  of  Rev.  John  Breckinridge,  D.  D.  (canvas).     Owned  by  Judge 

S.  M.  Breckinridge,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

153- 
154- 
155- 


Matthew  Harris  yonett 


59 


56.  Portrait  of  Rev.  Wm.  L.  Breckinridge.      Owned  by  W.  L.  Breck- 

inridge, St.  Louis,  Mo. 

57.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Fannie  P.  Breckinridge.     Owned  by  W.  L.  Breck- 

inridge, St.  Louis,  Mo. 

58.  Portrait  of  Wm.  D.  Payne.  Owned  by  Mr.  Ward  Payne,  Owensboro,  Ky. 

59.  Portrait  of  Gen.  Leslie  Combs. 

60.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Leslie  Combs. 

61.  Portrait  of  Prof.  John  Roche  (1821-22).    Owned  by  Mrs.  Sarah  E. 

Roche,  near  Georgetown,  Scott  Co.,  Ky. 

62.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Wilkinson.    Owned  by  Mrs.  C.  C.  Young,  Danville,  Ky. 

63.  Portrait  of  Judge  Andrew  McKinley.      Owned  by  Mrs.  A.  P.  Hum- 

phrey, Louisville,  Ky. 

64.  Portrait  of  Maj.  James  G.  McKinney.    Owned  by  Mrs.  Mag.  Smither, 

Versailles,  Ky. 

65.  Portrait  of  Maj.  John  G.  McKinney.    Owned  by  Mrs.  Mag.  Smither, 

Versailles,  Ky. 

66.  Portrait  of   Mrs.  Martin   D.  Harding,  mother  of  Col.  Harding,  who 

fell  at  Buena  Vista.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Ellen  Walworth,  Buena  Vista, 
near  Saratoga,  N.  Y. 

67. 

68.  Miniature  of  Mrs.  John  W.    Hunt.     Owned  by  Col.   Charlton  H. 

Morgan,  Lexington,  Ky. 

69.  Portrait  of   Mrs.   James  Brown,  sister  of   Mrs.  Henry  Clay.  Owned 

by  Mrs.  James  B.  Clay,  Lexington,  Ky. 

70.  Portrait  of  Thomas  Hart.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Wm.  G.  Talbot,  Paris,  Ky. 

71.  Portrait  of   Mrs.  Eleanor  Hart.       Owned  by   Mrs.  Wm.  G.  Talbot, 

Paris,  Ky. 

72.  Portrait  of   Mrs.  Thomas   Pindle   Hart.      Owned  by  Mrs.  Wm.  G. 

Talbot,  Paris,  Ky. 

;73.  Portrait  of  Col.  Wm.  Rodes  at  twenty-eight  (wood).    Owned  by  L, 

Brodhead,  Woodburn,  Ky. 
174.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Samuel  Breck,  of  Alabama. 

;75.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  A.  L.  Lewis.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Lewis,  of  Clark 
Co.,  Ky. 

:76.  Portrait  of  Gov.  Isaac  Shelby  (attributed  to  Jouett).  Owned  by  Wm. 
M.  Irvine,  Richmond,  Ky. 

177.  Portrait  of  Col.  Wm.  Rodes.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Pauline  Rodes,  Wood- 
lawn,  near  Richmond,  Ky. 


6o 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bliiegrass 


178.  Miniature  of  Capt.  Nat.  G.  Hart  (from  memory).      Owned  by  Miss 

\J\zz\Q.  B.  Hart,  Lexington,  Ky. 

179.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Nat.  B.  Hart.      Owned  by  Miss  L-izzie  B.  Hart, 

Lexington,  Ky. 

180.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Maria  Innis  Todd.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Robt.  A.  Waller, 

Chicago,  111. 

181.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Crittenden,  first  wife  of  John  J.    Owned  by 

Mrs.  E.  H.  Taylor,  Frankfort,  Ky. 

182.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Colonel  Meade.     Formerly  in  possession  of  Mrs. 

Boumar,  Versailles,  Ky. 

183.  Portrait   of   Justice   Thomas    Todd.    Owned    by    James  M.  Todd, 

Frankfort,  Ky. 

184.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Lucy  P.  Todd.     Owned  by  James  M.  Todd,  Frank- 

fort, Ky. 

185.  Portrait  of   Hon.  John  J.  Crittenden.     Owned  by  Harry  Todd,  Lex- 

ington, Ky. 

186.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  McKinney,  Jr.     Owned  by  Harry  Todd,  Lex- 

ington, Ky. 

187.  Portrait  of  Henry  Crittenden.    Owned  by  Governor  T.  T.  Crittenden, 

Kansas  City,  Mo. 

188.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Garnet  Duncan  (nee  Patsy  Martin).    Owned  by  Col. 

Blanton  Duncan,  California. 

189.  Miniature    (ivory)    of    Rev.    Joseph    Cabell    Harrison.      Owned  by 

Mrs.  Maria  Clarkson,  Humboldt,  Kansas. 

190.  Portrait  of  Judge  A.  K.  WooUey.    Owned  by  Mrs.  Peter  A.  White, 

Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

191.  Portrait  of   Senator  Isham  Talbot.    Owned  by  William  T.  Dudley, 

Frankfort,  Ky. 

192. 

193.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  Morris  (1826).    Owned  by  Mrs.  A.  J.  Edgar, 

Frankfort,  Ky. 

194.  Portrait  of  Judge  Harry  Innis  (1817).     Owned  by  Mrs.  Robert  H. 

Garrett,  New  Orleans,  La. 

195.  Portrait  of  Col.  Thomas  Smith.     Owned  by  Miss  Lillian  May  Gray. 

196.  Portrait  of  Mr.  Wm.  W.  Worsley.    Owned  by  Thomas  S.  Kennedy, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

197.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Wm.  W.  Worsley.    Owned  by  Thomas  S.  Kennedy, 

Louisville,  Ky. 


Matthew  Harris  yoitett 


6i 


198.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Maj.  John  S.  Martin.     Owned  by  Thomas  S.  Ken- 

nedy, Louisville,  Ky. 

199.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  S.  Martin  {nee  Blanton).      Owned  by  Thomas 

S.  Kennedy,  Louisville,  Ky. 

200.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Thomas  Hart.    Owned  Mrs.    Ella  A.  Harris, 

Paris,  Ky. 

201.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Eleanor  Hart.      Owned  by  Mrs.   Ella  A.  Harris, 

Paris,  Ky. 

202.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Jesse  Cledsoe.    Owned  by  Anderson  Gratz,  Kirk- 

wood,  Mo. 

203. 

204.  Portrait  of  Walter  Carr,  of  Kentucky.    Owned  by  Walter  C.  Carr, 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

205.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Benjamin  Gratz  {nee  Maria  Cecil  Gist).    Owned  by 

Mrs.  E.  B.  Blair  Lee,  Silver  Spring,  Md. 

206.  Portrait  of  Rev.    Robt.   J.    Breckinridge   (1824).    Owned   by  Judge 

Robt.  J.  Breckinridge,  Danville,  Ky. 

207.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Robt.  J.  Breckinridge.    Owned  by  Judge  Robt.  J. 

Breckinridge,  Danville,  Ky. 

208.  Portrait  of  Gen.  Francis  Preston.    Owned  by  Judge  Robt.  J.  Breck- 

inridge, Danville,  Ky. 

209.  Portrait  of  Hon.  J.  Cabell  Breckinridge.    Owned  by  Mrs.  Bullock, 

Lexington,  Ky. 

210.  Portrait  of  Hon.  J.  Cabell  Breckinridge.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Bullock, 

Lexington,  Ky. 
2io>^.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  J.  Cabell  Breckinridge. 

211.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Mary  S.    Breckinridge,  wife  of  Cabell  Breckinridge. 

Owned  by  Mrs.  Bullock,  Lexington,  Ky. 

212.  Portrait  of   Rev.  John  Breckinridge.     Owned  by  Judge  Daniel  M. 

Breckinridge,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

213.  Portrait  of  John  Breckinridge  (from  memory).    Owned  by  Mrs.  John 

C.  Breckinridge,  Lexington,  Ky. 

214.  Portrait  of  Gen.  Peter  B.  Porter.     Owned  by  Hon.  Peter  A.  Porter, 

Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y. 

215.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Peter  B.  Porter.    Owned  by  Hon.  Peter  A.  Porter, 

Niagara  Falls,  N.  Y. 

216.  Portrait  of  Gov.  John  Pope,   of  Kentucky.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Florida 

Tinstall,  San  Antonio,  Texas. 


62 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


217.  Portrait   of  Thomas  Prather.      Owned  by  Mrs.  Kate  P.  Winston, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

218.  Portrait  of  Gen.  Thomas  Bodley.    Owned  by  Mrs.  E.  B.  Owsley, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

219.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Fortunatus  Cosby.    Owned  by  Mrs.  Ellen  B.  Car- 

penter, Louisville,  Ky. 

220.  Miniature  of  Mrs.  E.  P.  Humphrey  (nee  Catherine  Prather)  when  six 

years  of  age,  ^  length.  Owned  by  Ed.  W.  C.  Humphrey,  Louis- 
ville, Ky. 

221.  Portrait  of  Gov.  Isaac  Shelby  (Replica).    Owned  by  Col.  R.  T.  Durrett, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

222.  Portrait  of  Hon.  John  Brown  (Replica).    Owned  by  Col.  R.  T.  Durrett, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

223. 

224.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Walter  Brashear  (canvas,  28x22).     Owned  by  Mrs. 

F.  C.  Lawrence,  Morgan  City,  La. 

225.  Portrait  of   Mrs.  Walter  Brashear,   1810  or  earlier  (28x22,  canvas; 

damaged).     Owned  by  Mrs.  F.  C.  Lawrence,  Morgan  City.  La. 

226. 

227.  Portrait  of   Mrs.   Vannerson  (destroyed).     Owned  by  Jo.  Davis,  on 

Human  Plantation,  La. 

228.  Portrait  of  Mr.  Wood  Hawkins.     Owned  by   ,  Missouri. 

229.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Wood  Hawkins.     Owned  by   ,  Missouri. 

230.  Portrait  of   Dr.  James  C.  Johnston  (wood).     Owned  by  Col.  R.  W. 

WooUey,  Louisville,  Ky. 

231.  Portrait  of  Gen.  G.  W.  Chambers.    Owned  by  Mrs.  G.  W.  Chambers, 

Pleasure  Ridge  Park,  Jefferson  County,  Ky. 

232.  Portrait  of    Mrs.  Gen.  G.  W.  Chambers.     Owned   by    Mrs.   G.  W. 

Chambers,  Pleasure  Ridge  Park,  Jefferson  County,  Ky. 

233.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Sally   Robards  Jouett  (mother  of  Matthew  Jouett), 

21  X  28.     Owned  by  Mrs.  H.  Clay  White,  near  Williamstown,  Ky. 

234.  Portrait  of    Mrs.    Elizabeth    Hardin    (sister    of   the    artist  Jouett). 

Owned  by  Mrs.  J.  A.  Crawford,  Covington,  Ky. 

235.  Portrait  of   Miss  Dumesnil.     Owned  by  Gen.  Dan.  Lindsay,  Frank- 

fort, Ky. 

236.  Portrait  of  Jouett,  the  artist. 

237.  Portrait  of  the  artist's  wife. 

In  his  best  manner.  The  two  best  pictures  he  ever  painted. 
Burned  in  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts  at  Philadephia,  June  11, 
1845. 

238. 


Matthew  Harris  jfouett 


63 


239.  Portrait  of   Gen.  Martin   D.  Hardin.     Owned  by  Mrs.  M.  McKee, 

Frankfort,  Ky. 

240.  Portrait  of  John  H.  Hanna  (36x29).     Owned  by  Mrs.  J.  P.  Thorn, 

Baltimore,  Md. 

241.  Portrait  of  Maj.  David  Trimble.     Owned  by  Judge  Wm.  T.  McClin- 

tick,  ChiUicothe,  Ohio. 

242.  Portrait  of  Col.  Wm.   Trimble  (1821;  22x27).     Owned  by  Mrs.  J. 

H.  Thompson,  Hillsboro,  Ohio. 

243.  Portrait   of  Joseph    H.    Hawkins.     Owned    by   Joseph    H.  Sanders, 

near  Ghent,  Ky. 

244.  Portrait  of   Mrs.   Joseph   H.    Hawkins.     Owned  by  Joseph  H.  San- 

ders, near  Ghent,  Ky. 

245.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Anne  Nicholas  Sanders.     Owned  by  Lewis  Sanders, 

New  York. 

246.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Gen.  Jacob  Castleman.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Caroline  B. 

Smith,  Louisville,  Ky. 

247.  Portrait    of  James    L.  Hickman.     Owned  by  Wm.  S.  Hickman,  near 

Trenton,  Ky. 

248.  Portrait  of   Maj.  Gabriel  Tandy.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Anna   C.  Tandy, 

Meadow  Brook,  near  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

249.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Gabriel  Tandy.     (Very  fine.)    Owned  by  Mrs.  Anna 

C.  Tandy,  Meadow  Brook,  near  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

250.  Portrait  of  Robt.  Wickliffe  (1822).     Supposed  to  be  in  possession  of 

one  of  the  grandchildren  of  Chas.  Caldwell,  died  at  Danville,  Ky. 

251.  Portrait  of  Robt.  Wickliffe  (1824).     Presented  to  his  nephew,  Martin 

Ewing,  of  Mississippi,  and  in  possession  of  his  son. 

252.  Portrait  of   Gov.   Isaac    Shelby,  painted  for   Robt.    Wickliffe.  Pre- 

sented to  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Fishback,  and  supposed  to  be  in  the 
Shelby  family. 

253.  Portrait  of  Col.  James  Morrison,  of  Lexington  (canvas,  22  x  26).  Owned 

by  Col.  James  Morrison  Hawes,  Covington,  Ky. 

254.  Portrait  of  Col.  Solomon  P.  Sharp  (killed  by  Beauchamp  at  Frank- 

fort in  1824).  Owned  by  Mrs.  Annie  Grundy  Sharp,  Bards- 
town,  Ky. 

255.  Portrait  of  Robert  Todd  (canvas).     Owned  by  Mrs.  Matilda  P.  Logan, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

256.  Portrait  of  Miss  Theodosia  Prevost.     Owned  by  Mrs.  L.  Breckinridge, 

Alton,  111. 

257.  Portrait   of   Gen.  Peter   B.    Porter    and    wife.    Owned  by  Mrs.  L, 

Breckinridge,  Alton,  111. 


64  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


258.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Letitia  B.  Porter.     Owned  by  Mrs.  L.  Breckinridge, 

Alton,  111. 

259.  Portrait  of  Col.  James  Morris,  of  Lexington  (canvas,  24x30).  Owned 

by  D.  H.  Holmes,  Holmesdale,  near  Covington,  Ky. 

260.  Portrait  of  Thomas  Jefferson  (wood,  20 x  30).    Owned  by  D.  H.  Holmes, 

Holmesdale,  near  Covington,  Ky. 

261. 

262.  Portrait  of  Gen.  Montford  Wells,  painted  1825  at  Lexington.  (Con- 

sidered one  of  his  best.)    In  possession  of   his   daughter,  Mrs. 
Jones,  of  Alexandria,  Va. 
2621^.  Portrait  of   Gov.    Isaac  Shelby  (canvas).     Owned  by  Thomas  H. 
Shelby,  Fayette  County,  Ky. 

263.  Portrait  of  Gov.  Isaac  Shelby  (wood).     Owned  by  J.  T.  Shelby,  Lex- 

ington, Ky.  (Bought  by  O.  Frazer  from  the  estate  of  Mrs.  E. 
Warfield.) 

264.  Portrait  of  a  boy.  Master  Logan.     Owned  by  Miss  Mag.  C.  Logan, 

Woodford  County,  Ky. 

265.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Weisiger.     Owned  by  L.  H.  Blanton,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

266.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  D.  Weisiger  (panel,  walnut).     Owned  by  L.  H.  Blan- 

ton, Indianapolis,  Ind. 

267.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Jane  Trimble  (canvas).    Owned  by  Dr.  Rodney  T. 

Trimble,  New  Vienna,  Ohio. 

268.  Portrait  of  Col.  Wm.   A.  Trimble,  U.   S.  Senator  from  Ohio  1821 

(canvas).     Owned  by  Dr.  Rodney  T.  Trimble,  New  Vienna,  Ohio. 

269.  Portrait  of  Judge  Thomas  Todd.     Owned  by  Thomas  Todd,  Shelby- 

ville,  Ky. 

270.  Portrait  of  Henry  Clay.     (Mr.  Clay  thought  this  best  portrait  painted 

of  him.)  Presented  by  Mr.  Clay  to  Wm.  Caldwell,  owner  of  White 
Sulphur  Springs,  where  it  was  in  good  condition  in  188 1  in  pos- 
session of  Mrs.  Caldwell,  daughter-in-law  of  Mr.  C. 

271. 

272.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Wm.  S.  Waller.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Clifton  Breck- 

inridge, No.  218  Capital  Street,  Washington  City,  D.  C. 

273.  Portrait    of    Chas.    D.    Morton    (painted    181 5).      Owned    by  Mrs. 

Hermia  H.  Hollingsworth,  Mobile,  Ala. 

274.  Portrait  of   Peyton  Short,  Esq.  (painted  1826).     Owned  by  Mrs.  C. 

M.  Short,  Louisville,  Ky. 

275.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Wm.  Waller.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Susanna  Lees,  Hazel- 

wood,  near  High  Bridge,  N.  Y. 

276.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  John  J.  Crittenden.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Robt.  Waller, 


Matthew  Harris  youett 


65 


277.  Portrait  of  Hon.  John  Scott  (first  Congressman  for  Missouri),  canvas, 

3x2.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Samuel  M.  Wilson,  711  Pine  Street,  San 
Francisco,  Cal. 

278.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Margaretta  Fletcher,  daughter  of  Geo.  Nicholas,  of 

Kentucky.     Owned  by  A.  W.  Bascom,  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky. 

279.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Margaretta  Fletcher,  daughter  of  Geo.  Nicholas,  of 

Kentucky.  Owned  by  Mrs.  Clara  Hawes,  A.  F.  Seminary,  Staun- 
ton, Va. 

280.  Portrait  of  Dr.  William   Hall  Richardson  (on  wood;  painted  1826). 

Owned  by  Dr.  E.  B.  Richardson,  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky. 

281.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Judith  Ann  Richardson  (canvas).     Owned  by  Dr.  E. 

B.  Richardson,  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky. 

282.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Mrs.  Col.  C.  S.  Todd  (painted  previous  to  18 16). 

Owned  by  Mrs.  John  Carter,  New  Orleans,  La. 

283.  Portrait  of  Daniel  Weisiger,  of  Kentucky.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Josephine 

Threlkeld  {nee  Weisiger),  Mission  Valley,  DeWitt  County,  Texas. 

284.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Daniel  Weisiger.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Josephine  Threl- 

keld {nee  Weisiger),  Mission  Valley,  DeWitt  County,  Texas. 

285.  Portrait  of  Maj.  Alex.  G.  Morgan,  who  fell  at  Buena  Vista.  Owned 

by  Col.  Alex.  G.  Morgan,  Green  Cove  Springs,  Fla. 

286.  Portrait  of  Ann  America  Morgan  (his  wife,  canvas,  27  x  32).  Owned 

by  Col.  Alex.  G.  Morgan,  Green  Cove  Springs,  Fla. 

287.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Capt.  Robinson  DeHart.     Owned  by  Capt.  Wm. 

DeHart,  McComb,  Miss. 

288.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Mann  Satterwhite  (wood,  20  x  26).    Owned  by  Dr.  Thos. 

P.  Satterwhite,  Louisville,  Ky. 

289.  Portrait  of   Miss  Sarah  Satterwhite  (wood,  20x26).     Owned   by  Dr. 

Thos.  P.  Satterwhite,  Louisville,  Ky. 

290.  Portrait    of    Mrs.    Margaretta  Fletcher,   daughter  of    Geo.  Nicholas 

(wood).     Owned  by  Geo.  Nicholas,  Shelbyville,  Ky. 

291.  Portrait   of   Dr.    Samuel    Buck   (replica   of   L.    Brodhead's  picture. 

Spring  Station).     Owned  by  Mrs.  Edwin  Ford,  Canton,  Miss. 

292.  Portrait   of    Dr.  Richard   Pindle.     Owned  by  F.    H.    Pindle,  Esq., 

Lebanon,  Mo. 

293.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Richard  Pindle  (burned  in  Missouri,  1886).  Owned 

by  Mrs.  Milton  Smith,  Dallas,  Texas. 

2c,4.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Gov.  Charles  Scott  (one  of  Jouett's  very  early 
pictures).     Owned  by  Mrs.  Burnley,  Frankfort,  Ky. 

295.  Portrait  of  Gen.  Thomas  Marshall.  Owned  by  Mrs.  John  C,  Hem- 
don,  Louisville,  Ky. 


66 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


296.  Portrait  of  Hoo.  Garnett  Duncan  (canvas,  oval  ;  one  of  Jouett's  very 

best).     Owned  by  Col.  Blanton  Duncan,  Louisville,  Ky. 

297.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Patsy  W.  Martin  Duncan  (his  wife;  wood,  square). 

Owned  by  Col.  Blanton  Duncan,  Louisville,  Ky. 

298.  Miniature  (ivory,  gold)  of  Mrs.  Francis  Thornton,  daughter  of  Judge 

Harry  Innis.    Owned  by  David  Starling  Forbes,  Fredericksburg,  Va. 

299. 

300.  Portrait  of  T.  Gibson,  of  Louisiana  (1825).    Owned  by  Mrs.  S.  G. 

Humphreys,  Versailles,  Ky. 

301.  Portrait  of   Mrs.  D.  C.  Humphreys  (1825).     Owned  by  Mrs.  S.  G. 

Humphreys,  Versailles,  Ky. 

302.  Portrait  of  John  Grimes,  artist  pupil  of  Jouett.    Owned  by  New  York 

Metropolitan  Museum. 

303- 
304- 
305- 
306. 

307.  Life-sized  head  of  an  old  family  horse.      Owned  by  R.  J.  Menefee, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

308.  Portrait  of  Judge  John   Rowan,  of  Federal  Hill,    Ky.  (34',  and  very 

fine).     Owned  by  Mrs.  John  Rowan,  Bardstown,  Ky. 

309.  Portrait  of  Col.  Archie  Dunbar.     Owned  by  Mrs.  Julia  Dunbar  Green, 

Natchez,  Miss.,  or  Mrs.  Alfred  Davis,  Pass  Christian,  Miss. 

310.  Portrait  of   Mr.  Samuel  Postlewait  (ordinary  portrait  size).  Owned 

by  Gen.  Geo.  C.  Cochran,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 

311.  Portrait  of  Gen.  James  Taylor.     Owned  by  Col.  John  B.  Taylor,  New- 

port, Ky. 

312.  Portrait  or  Judge  Wm.  T.  Barry.      Owned  by  Dr.  Wm.  T.  Barry, 

Chicago,  111. 

313.  Portrait  of  Gen.  Isaac  Shelby.     Owned  by  Samuel  McGoffin,  Esq., 

St.  Louis  Co.,  Mo. 

314.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Isaac  Shelby.      Owned  by  Samuel  McGoifin,  Esq., 

St.  Louis  Co.,  Mo. 

315.  Portrait  of  Mrs.   McGoffin  {nee  Virginia  McAfee,  daughter  of  Gen. 

McAfee,  Minister  to  South  America).  Owned  by  Samuel  McGoffin, 
Esq.,  St.  Louis  Co.,  Mo. 

316.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Geo.  Potts.     Owned  by  Gen.  Geo.  C.  Cochran,  St. 

Paul,  Minn. 

317.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Dr.  Geo.  Potts  (on  wood).    Owned  by  Gen.  Geo, 

C.  Cochran,  St.  Paul,  Minn. 


Matthew  Harris  yoitett 


67 


318.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Maj.   John   Loving.     Owned  by  John  Loving, 

Esq.,  Louisville,  Ky. 

319.  Miniature  (ivory)  of  Chas.  F.  Wing  (broken  in  two  pieces).  Owned 

by  Miss  Mary  Wing,  Louisville,  Ky. 

320.  Portrait  of  John  Jouett,  brother  of  the  artist.    Owned  by  M.  Hadin 

Jouett,  Mt.  Sterling,  Ky. 

321.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  EHzabeth  Jouett  Hadin  (on  wood;  good  preservation). 

Owned  by  Mrs.  Mary  D.  Crawford,  Covington,  Ky. 

322.  Portrait  of  Thomas   Smith  (wood,  life  size ;  splendid ;    one  of  his 

best.  Editor  at  Lexington).  Owned  by  Mrs.  E.  Nannett  Turner, 
Louisville,  Ky. 

323.  Miniature  (on  ivory)  of  Capt.  Paschal  Hickman  (killed  at  battle  of 

River  Raisin).    Owned  by  Mrs.  Wm.  K,  Trigg,  Lexington,  Mo. 

324.  Portrait  of    Capt.    Robinson   DeHart   (canvas,    about    22x26;  very 

fine,  but  cracked).  Owned  by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Sheppard,  742  Sev- 
enth Street,  Louisville,  Ky. 

325.  Portrait  of  Mr.  Cuddy  (25x30,  on  wood;  perfect  condition  and  a 

very  fine  example).     Owned  by  Mrs.  Preston  Pope,  Louisville,  Ky. 

326.  Portrait  of  Dr.  Rufus  Summerby  (canvas,  25x30;  fair  condition). 

Owned  by  Mrs.  Nest,  1902  Sixth  Street,  Louisville,  Ky. 

327.  Portrait  of   Mrs.  R.  Summerby.     (Excellent  condition.)    Owned  by 

Mrs.  Nest,  1902  Sixth  Street,  Louisville,  Ky. 

328.  Portrait  of   Humphrey  Marshall,  Historian  of   Kentucky.     Owned  by 

Mrs.  Judith  L.  Marshall,  Louisville,  Ky. 

329.  Portrait   of  James    Burney.    Owned  by   Mrs.  Judith   L.  Marshall, 

Louisville,  Ky. 

330.  Portrait  of  Madame  Ansilmie  Billiette.    (Went  from  Arkansas  to  Lex- 

ington to  have  painted  by  Jouett.)  Owned  by  Edward  Bull,  Esq., 
Third  Street,  Louisville,  Ky. 

331.  Portrait  of  Robert  S.  Todd,  early  Surveyor.    (Painted  between  1825 

and  1827.  Canvas,  portrait  size.  Good  condition.)  Owned  by 
Mrs.  Alice  S.  Byers,  Louisville,  Ky. 

332.  Portrait  of  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Pollock.     Owned  by  Pollock  Barbour,  Esq., 

but  in  possession  of  Mrs.  Phil.  Barbour,  near  Louisville,  Ky., 
November,  1890. 

333.  Portrait   of  Wm.    Pollock,    her  son.     (Painted   at   Lexington,  Ky., 

between  1820  and  1825,  on  canvas,  portrait  size;  in  fairly  good 
condition.) 

334.  Portrait  of  uncle  of  Mr.  Ad.  Crisman,  Jessamine  County,  Ky.  Owned 

by  the  nephew  in  Jessamine  County,  Ky. 


Joseph  H.  Bush 


JOSEPH    H.  BUSH. 

From  a  portrait  painted  Ijy  himself. 


Joseph  H.  Bush' 


JOSEPH  H.  BUSH  was  born  in  Frankfort,  Kentucky, 
in  the  year  1794.  He  was  of  German  descent; 
his  grandparents,  PhiHp  and  Mary  Bush,  having 
come  from  Mannheim,  Germany,  to  Winchester,  Virginia, 
about  the  year  1750.  His  father  was  the  proprietor  of 
a  hotel  at  that  place,  and  among  his  most  distinguished 
guests  was  Lieutenant  Colonel  George  Washington,  who, 
while  stopping  at  this  noted  inn,  was  accompanied  by 
several  of  his  staff.  The  host  very  often  spoke  with 
enthusiasm  of  this  young  officer's  noble  bearing  and 
attractiveness  for  all  who  came  in  contact  with  him. 

Bishop  Mead,  in  his  popular  work  entitled  ' '  Old 
Churches,  Ministers,  and  Families,"  frequently  mentions 
Philip  Bush  as  being  one  of  the  best  known  of  the 
Virginia  pioneers  who  emigrated  to  Kentucky. 

General  Cass,  in  his  ' '  France  :  Its  Kings,  Court,  and 
Government,"  describes  him,  as  he  appeared  in  1797, 
as  being  portly,  ruddy,  though  advanced  in  life  ;  while 

'  Read  before  The  Filson  Club,  April  2,  1900, 


72  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Blitegrass 


the  old-fashioned  cut  of  his  clothes  and  his  broad- 
brimmed  hat  caused  him  to  resemble  a  patriarch  of 
olden  times. 

When  the  Duke  of  Orleans,  afterward  Louis  Philippe, 
King  of  France,  who  reigned  from  1830-48,  left  France 
to  avoid  arrest,  he  and  his  two  younger  brothers  stopped 
at  Bush's  Hotel  in  1797.  While  the  first  meal  was  being 
prepared  Bush  and  the  King,  who  had  recently  visited 
Mannheim,  talked  in  German  of  the  grand  old  town, 
its  people  and  attractions.  One  brother  being  indis- 
posed, the  King  suggested  that  he  and  his  party  should 
have  a  private  table.  This  touch  of  royal  exclusiveness 
roused  the  blood  of  the  old  German  and  caused  him 
to  exclaim  :  "If  you  are  too  good  to  eat  at  the  table 
with  my  other  guests,  you  are  too  good  to  eat  in  my 
house.    Begone ! "    And  they  went. 

It  was  on  this  tour  that  the  royal  party  visited 
Kentucky,  entering  at  Maysville  and  stopping  at  Lex- 
ington, Louisville,  Bardstown,  and  other  points  en  route 
to  Nashville,  Tennessee.  The  Duke  was  so  delighted 
with  his  reception  at  Beardstown  (as  it  was  then  called) 
that  forty  years  after,  when  King,  he  sent  to  Bishop 
Flaget  a  bell  for  his  Cathedral  at  that  place.  Three 
large  paintings  by  Van  Dyke  (worth  their  weight  in 
gold)  were  also  given  by  the  King  to  adorn  the  church. 


yoseph  H.  Bush 


73 


Natural  gifts  in  the  fine  arts  are  not  infrequently 
directly  traceable  to  ancestors,  and  this  was  especially 
so  in  the  early  development  of  the  genius  of  Bush. 
His  father,  although  not  a  professional  portrait  painter, 
executed  during  his  leisure  moments  heads  in  oil  which 
now  adorn  the  walls  of  the  houses  of  some  of  his 
descendants. 

To  say  that  the  development  of  his  talent  for  drawing 
greatly  interfered  with  his  studies  at  the  district  school 
is  but  history  repeating  itself,  as  this  is  the  common 
disposition  of  youths  who  have  natural  gifts  for  drawing. 

When  but  a  lad  he  could  not  resist  the  temptation 
to  make  use  of  his  mother's  newly  painted  hearth  in 
the  exercise  of  his  talent  by  sketching  with  charcoal  a 
profile  of  his  father.  Just  as  the  work  was  completed 
his  mother  put  in  an  appearance,  and,  on  viewing  it, 
severely  reprimanded  the  boy  for  so  defacing  the  hearth. 
The  father,  hearing  the  altercation,  came  in  and  said : 
"Wife,  instead  of  scolding  Joe,  you  should  have  com- 
mended him  for  the  performance,  for  it  is  an  evidence 
of  genius,  and  we  should  be  proud  of  him  ;  therefore,  it 
must  not  be  defaced."  Notwithstanding  her  displeasure, 
she  could  but  concede  it  a  perfect  likeness. 

This  maiden  effort  would  have  done  credit  to  a  pro- 
fessional  artist,   as   it   was   drawn   from    memory.  To 


74  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


hold  the  image  of  a  face  in  the  mind  is  a  task  more 
difficult  than  the  exercise  of  memory  in  any  other 
direction.  This  power  in  young  Bush  accounts  for  his 
success  in  after  years  in  the  painting  of  children.  Such 
subjects  are  exceedingly  restless,  and  the  artist  must 
memorize  their  features  and  their  poses. 

The  late  Rosa  Bonheur  possessed  this  faculty  in  a 
wonderful  degree,  as  is  shown  in  her  great  picture 
entitled  "The  Horse  Fair."  The  spirited  action  of  the 
animals  in  this  painting  could  have  only  been  repre- 
sented from  memory. 

The  same  might  be  said  of  Jerome,  another  great 
French  artist,  in  his  representation  on  canvas  of  "The 
Chariot  Races." 

Children  take  no  interest  in  the  artist's  work,  conse- 
quently are  restive  under  the  strictures  of  the  sitter's 
chair.  Not  so  with  the  adult,  as  he  has  an  appreciation 
of  the  importance  of  sitting  quietly  for  the  artist  to 
better  portray  on  canvas  his  features,  and  will  sit  for 
hours  without  any  apparent  fatigue.  In  fact,  he  is 
much  interested  in  the  work  while  the  artist  plies  his 
brush.  Hazlett,  in  his  delightful  essays  entitled  "Table 
Talks,"  graphically  decribes  the  sympathy  between  the 
painter  and  the  sitter.  He  says:  "There  is  a  pleasure 
in  sitting  for  one's  picture  which  many  persons  are  not 


MRS.  ANSELEM  BUCHANAN. 

(Avf  Willie  Thompson.) 
Painted  by  Joseph  H.  Bush. 


yoseph  H.  Bush 


75 


aware  of.  People  are  coy  on  this  subject  at  first, 
coquet  with  it,  and  pretend  not  to  Hke  it,  as  is  the 
case  with  other  venial  indulgences,  but  they  soon  get 
over  their  scruples  and  become  resigned  to  their  fate. 
There  is  conscious  vanity  in  it,  and  vanity  is  the  atiruni 
potabile  in  all  our  pleasures,  the  true  elixir  of  human 
hfe.  The  sitter  at  first  affects  an  air  of  indifference, 
throws  himself  into  a  slovenly  or  awkward  position,  like 
a  clown  when  he  goes  a -courting  for  the  first  time,  but 
gradually  recovers  himself,  attempts  an  attitude,  and  calls 
up  his  best  looks  the  moment  he  receives  intimation  that 
there  is  something  about  him  that  will  do  for  a  picture. 
The  beggar  in  the  street  is  proud  to  have  his  picture 
painted,  and  would  almost  sit  for  nothing  ;  the  finest 
lady  in  the  land  is  as  fond  of  sitting  to  a  favorite  artist 
as  of  seating  herself  before  her  looking  -  glass ;  and  the 
more  so  as  the  glass  in  this  case  is  sensible  of  her 
charms,  and  does  all  it  can  to  fix  or  heighten  them. 
Kings  lay  aside  their  crowns  to  sit  for  their  portraits, 
and  poets  their  laurels  to  sit  for  their  busts." 

Honorable  Henry  Clay,  having  discovered  in  Bush  fine 
natural  talent  for  drawing,  took  great  interest  in  him, 
and,  desiring  that  he  should  have  the  best  aid  in  its 
development,  when  the  boy  was  seventeen  he  persuaded 
his  father  to  send   him  to  Philadelphia.     He  was  all 


7^  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bhiegrass 


eagerness  to  go,  being  stimulated  by  the  success  of  young 
Matthew  H.  Jouett. 

Clay  himself  took  him  to  the  city  and  placed  him 
under  the  tuition  of  Thomas  Sully,  who  was  then  of 
national  reputation.  At  the  same  time  Joseph  prosecuted 
his  academic  studies  interchangeably  with  those  of  the 
fine  arts.  His  preceptor,  discovering  the  latent  genius 
of  his  new  disciple,  took  great  interest  in  him  and  led 
him  to  the  success  in  portraiture  which  he  in  a  few 
years  attained. 

After  two  years'  stay  in  Philadelphia  he  returned  to 
Kentucky  and  opened  a  studio  in  Frankfort,  and  it  was 
not  long  before  he  received  numerous  orders  for  por- 
traits. From  this  place  he  went  to  Lexington,  having 
received  commissions  from  many  of  the  prominent  fam- 
ilies of  that  city. 

After  a  few  years'  stay  in  Lexington  he  was  called 
to  Louisville  to  paint  some  of  her  citizens,  where  he 
permanently  located.  His  winters  were  passed  in  New 
Orleans  and  Natchez,  and  by  request  he  visited  the 
planters  of  Louisiana,  who  were  fortunate  in  securing 
his  faithful  portraits  of  the  members  of  their  households. 

This  itineracy  proved  very  remunerative,  as  he  charged 
more  for  his  portraits  and  was  at  no  expense  in  living. 
His  work  was  in  constant  demand  through  the  South, 


Joseph  H.  Bush 


11 


and  he  made  annual  visits  to  the  planters.  This  he 
continued  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War. 

Unlike  the  majority  of  painters,  he  had  an  eye  to  the 
value  of  money,  and  consequently  judiciously  invested 
his  surplus,  though  not  to  his  discomfort,  for  he  was 
always  clad  in  the  best  tailor-made  clothing,  and  stopped 
at  the  best  hotels,  making  the  Gait  House,  when  in 
Louisville,  his  home.  He  loved  his  profession  and 
derived  much  pleasure  from  painting,  as  do  other  artists 
who  do  not  put  to  the  best  use  the  profits  from  their 
brush. 

"Great  artists  would  not  exchange  their  profession  for 
that  of  any  other ;  for  the  most  part  they  are  satisfied 
with  the  remuneration  which  they  receive  for  their  work, 
though  often  little.  They  do  not  envy  the  rich,  for  they 
consider  themselves  richer  than  the  richest.  A  mind 
schooled  by  art  perceives  the  emptiness  of  the  life  of 
those  who  consider  themselves  as  the  mighty  of  the  earth, 
and  whose  glory  is  laid  in  the  cofhn  with  them.  What 
is  commonly  called  happiness  can  not  longer  allure  him 
who  is  striving  after  a  fame  which  has  no  attraction  for 
the  multitude." 

Yet  the  portrait  painter's  path  is  not  always  strewn 
with  flowers.  The  captious  critic  and  the  fastidious  patron 
are  ever  snares  in  his  way.    To  the  former  the  execution 


7  8  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


is  defective,  and  to  the  latter  the  resemblance  is  not 
true  to  life. 

If  ninety  -  nine  commend  the  fidelity  of  the  portrait, 
and  one  person  condemns  it,  the  patron  is  dissatisfied. 
An  American  artist  was  at  one  time  sorely  tried  by  a 
lady  customer,  and  but  for  a  clever  strategy  and  its  suc- 
cessful execution  would  have  been  compelled  to  abandon 
the  work. 

He  was  commissioned  by  a  lady  in  the  higher  walks 
of  life  to  paint  a  portrait  of  her  husband,  which  work 
the  painter  undertook  with  more  than  usual  interest,  as 
the  husband  had  a  strong,  characteristic  face.  Believing 
his  work  to  be  a  success,  the  lady  was  invited  to  see 
it.  To  the  artist's  great  disappointment  she  expressed 
much  dissatisfaction  on  seeing  it.  The  objection  was  it 
did  not  do  her  husband  justice. 

The  artist  believed  he  could  beautify  to  her  satisfaction 
by  softening  the  lines  of  the  face  and  modifymg  the 
slight  corrugation  of  the  brow.  Promising  to  make  these 
changes,  he  invited  her  to  come  back  the  next  day.  The 
next  morning  she  acknowledged  a  slight  improvement, 
but  not  yet  up  to  what  she  wanted. 

The  painter,  fearing  to  lose  the  likeness  by  further 
alteration,  happily  thought  of  a  device  which  would  prove 
the   correctness   of  his  work.      He  therefore  asked  the 


yoseph  H.  Bitsh 


79 


sitter  the  next  morning  to  place  himself  in  a  sitting 
posture  behind  the  frame  which  had  contained  the 
portrait.  The  husband,  entering  into  the  spirit  of 
the  strategy,  took  the  desired  position.  A  canvas  was 
placed  to  hide  the  lower  extremities.  When  his  wife 
entered  she  exclaimed  on  seeing  the  life  picture, 
"Why,  it  is  worse  than  ever!  I  would  not  have  that 
horrid  thing  on  my  walls ! "  To  this  the  living  picture 
responded,  "I  guess  you  wouldn't."  After  this  it  is 
hardly  necessary  to  say  the  oil  portrait  was  accepted 
and  paid  for. 

No  artist  was  more  wedded  to  his  profession  than 
was  Bush.  This  may  account,  in  a  large  measure,  for 
his  bachelorhood.  Although  fond  of  the  society  of 
women,  it  is  not  positively  known  that  he  ever  fell  a 
victim  to  the  charms  of  the  gentler  sex,  though  there 
is  a  rumor  to  the  contrary.  When  the  writer,  who  was 
himself  an  artist,  and  who  had  a  studio  in  Louisville 
not  far  from  Bush's,  made  known  to  the  bachelor  artist 
his  purpose  of  becoming  a  benedict,  he  met  with  the 
remonstrance  that  he  thought  the  cares  of  a  family  would 
greatly  retard  his  advancement  in  art.  The  statement 
of  the  writer  that  the  great  masters,  Rubens  and  Van 
Dyke,  were  married,  brought  forth  a  response,  ' '  Well, 
they  might  have  been  better  painters  had  they  remained 


8o  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


single."  This  logic,  however,  did  not  prevail,  and  the 
master  painter  was  a  witness  to  the  nuptials. 

Bush  was  an  indefatigable  worker,  and  did  not,  like 
many  artists,  await  the  capricious  moods  of  genius,  but 
as  his  interest  in  the  work  increased,  inspiration  came 
with  it.  In  consequence  he  was  expeditious  and  his 
execution  was  uniform,  whether  he  painted  directly  from 
nature  or  from  photographs. 

While  a  portrait  copied  from  a  photograph  did  not 
inspire  him  as  painting  a  living  subject,  he  often  said  that 
it  had  its  own  compensation,  in  that  he  did  not  have  to 
wait  upon  the  dilatory  sitter,  and  therefore  was  enabled 
to  finish  his  work  with  more  celerity.  Then,  too,  it 
multiplied  his  orders. 

A  portrait  of  a  relative  or  friend  is  by  most  persons 
not  valued  until  after  the  death  of  the  subject.  Hence 
the  photograph  is  necessary  to  its  accomplishment,  and 
its  perishable  nature  increases  the  desire  of  persons 
to  have  the  faces  of  their  loved  ones  perpetuated  on 
canvas. 

He  could  not,  like  other  experienced  artists,  rely  upon 
the  correctness  of  the  drawing  of  the  photograph,  as  they 
are  always  out  of  focus.  The  distortions  of  the  sun 
pictures  artists  will  ever  have  to  contend  with  until  the 
lens  is  constructed,  if  possible,  to  focalize  more  accurately. 


BOV  (^X    H()1M!V-  HORSE. 

Fioiii  a  paintins  by  Joseph  H.  Biisli. 


yoseph  H.  Bush 


8i 


When  the  photograph  was  first  introduced  it  was  the 
impression  it  would  greatly  interfere  with  portraiture, 
owing  to  the  cheapness  of  the  former,  thereby  lessen- 
ing the  demand  for  portraiture  in  oil.  In  consequence 
many  painters  established  galleries  and  would  paint  in 
oil  the  impression  made  by  the  camera  after  the  image 
was  thrown  to  life  size  on  the  canvas. 

Bush  had  a  style  peculiarly  his  own,  consequent  upon 
his  close  study  of  nature,  and  not  in  imitating  the 
methods  of  other  skilled  artists.  There  is  no  trace  of 
resemblance  even  to  the  paintings  of  his  preceptor. 
Sully.  He  had  a  bold,  broad,  and  vigorous  touch,  and 
an  accurate  knowledge  of  the  complement  of  color.  His 
flesh  was  transparent  and  halftone  emphasized,  but 
was  not  obtrusive.  Consequently  his  modeling  was 
faultless.  Though  his  heads  were  often  half  in  shadow 
like  those  of  Rembrandt,  the  shadows  were  so  trans- 
parent they  did  not  attract  observation,  and  were  not 
refused  by  patrons  on  that  account.  His  shadows  had 
a  purplish  hue,  but  were  perfectly  balanced  with  the 
halftones  and  high  -  lights. 

In  white  drapery  he  was  equally  successful,  it  being 
difficult  to  represent  on  account  of  its  reflexes.  The 
shirt  bosoms  of  his  male  portraits  often  were  in  shadow, 
yet  he  was   enabled   by  the  touches  of   pure  white  to 


82  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


represent  the  texture  and  whiteness  in  high  -  hghts.  His 
drawing  was  as  his  modeHng,   almost  faultless. 

His  strong  ideality  was  exemplified  in  his  grouping 
of  children  painted  full  length.  Independent  of  the 
portraiture,  they  would  adorn  a  gallery  on  account  of 
the  admirable  composition.  His  master,  Sully,  was 
unsurpassed  in  the  grouping  of  children,  and  this 
faculty  more  than  any  thing  else  gave  him  a  national 
reputation. 

Portraits  by  Bush  were  in  the  most  constant  demand, 
although  he  charged  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for 
bust  size. 

While  of  a  retiring  nature,  he  did  not  avoid  the 
social  circle.  He  was  not  loquacious  in  his  conversation, 
nor  did  he  indulge  often  in  repartee,  but  when  he  did 
it  was  with  telling  effect. 

The  writer  was  once  requested  to  introduce  to  him 
a  young  mechanical  painter  by  the  name  of  Ganter. 
This  was  done  by  taking  him  to  Bush's  studio.  Bush 
asked  him  what  he  had  last  painted.  To  this  the  young 
would-be  painter  pompously  replied:  "I  have  just 
executed  my  father."  With  an  expression  of  seeming 
surprise  the  artist  said:  "Oh!  indeed,  sir;  pray,  sir, 
where  was  the  sheriff^  ?  "  Fully  appreciating  the  satire, 
the  young  man  quickly  made  his  exit. 


yoseph  H.  Bush 


83 


A  pedant  or  pretender  was  never  a  welcome  guest 
in  Bush's  studio.  His  large  store  of  information,  and 
his  faculty  for  imparting  it  when  disposed  to  do  so, 
made  him  very  companionable.  His  reading  was  of  a 
solid  character,  yet  he  found  time  to  read  the  daily 
newspapers.  In  stature  he  was  about  five  feet  eight 
inches,  and  in  weight  one  hundred  and  seventy  pounds. 

His  habits  of  life  were  regular,  never  indulging  in 
intoxicants,  and  never  using  tobacco  in  any  form. 

He  was  a  constant  attendant  of  the  Second  Presby- 
terian Church  of  Louisville  ;  Doctor  E.  P.  Humphrey 
being  at  that  time  the  pastor. 

Subsequently  he  was  confirmed  in  the  Episcopal 
Church,  to  which  his  brother.  Doctor  James  M.  Bush, 
and  family  belonged. 

When  in  Lexington  his  brother's  house  was  his  home, 
and  here  he  died,  after  a  short  illness,  on  January  11, 
1865,  and  was  buried  in  his  brother's  lot  in  the  beau- 
tiful  "City  of  the  Dead." 

His  most  noted  paintings  are  those  of  General 
Zachary  Taylor  ( three  -  quarter  length  ),  Governor  John 
Adair,  Doctor  Benjamin  W.  Dudley,  Judge  Thomas  B. 
Monroe,  and  General  Martin  D.  Hardin.  Any  one  of 
these  portraits  would  entitle  him  to  the  highest  rank 
in  portraiture  in  this  country  or  in  the  old  world. 


§4  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


Although  the  relentless  hand  of  death  may  cause 
the  great  painter  to  lay  down  his  brush  as  it  does  the 
author  to  relinquish  his  pen,  yet  they  live ! 

No  granite  shaft  need  be  erected  by  State  or  admir- 
ing public  to  perpetuate  their  memory.  The  picture 
gallery  will  testify  to  the  genius  of  the  one,  and  the 
shelves  of  the  library  to  the  greatness  of  the  other  ;  both 
more  satisfactory  than  the  carved  epitaph. 

"Their  works  do  follow  them." 


John  Grimes 


PORTRAIT  OF  A  LADY 

I'^iom  a  paintiiif^  by  John  Grimes. 


John  Grimes' 


IN  the  old  abandoned  Episcopal  Cemetery  at  Lex- 
ington, Kentucky,  is  a  modest  marble  slab  covered 
with  moss  and  darkened  by  age,  on  which  is  italicized 
this  inscription  :  "To  the  memory  of  John  Grimes,  Artist, 
Died  December  27th,  1837,  Aged  38."  The  omission 
of  the  date  and  place  of  birth  on  this  humble  stone 
would  naturally  cause  comment,  but  so  wrapped  in 
mystery  and  obscurity  was  his  entrance  into  the  world 
that  the  simple  fact  of  his  existence  was  all  that  was 
known. 

He,  like  Topsy,  "jest  growed  in  the  sun,"  or  like 
the  occasional  freak  in  the  vegetable  kingdom,  where 
there  appears  a  voluntary  growth  in  the  virgin  soil  amid 
indigenous  weeds,  accounted  for  only  by  the  germination 
of  seed  dropped  from  the  beak  of  a  bird  in  flight ; 
food  designed  for  the  featherless  nestling,  or  wafted 
there  from  a  foreign  soil  by  the  wind. 

'Read  before  The  Filson  Club,  April  2,  1900. 


88  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


The  biographer,  in  consequence,  is  saved  the  task  of 
giving  the  usual  introduction  to  this  sketch,  for  genealogy 
there  is  none. 

If  it  concerned  Grimes  that  his  parentage  was  not 
known,  he  doubtless  could  have  been  comforted  by  the 
conundrum  given  by  the  Irishman  to  the  arrogant  young 
lord  —  why  he  was  like  the  potato  vine.  The  answer, 
as  given  by  the  Irishman,  was  that  the  best  part  of 
him  was  under  the  ground. 

When  the  cradle  was  the  domain  of  the  waif  ( for 
such  he  was ),  he  had  no  mother  to  lull  or  rock  him 
to  sleep,  no  earthly  father  to  provide  his  daily  bread, 
but  his  Heavenly  Father,  who  ever  cares  for  the  father- 
less, brought  him  friends,  and  it  was  his  privilege  to 
taste  of  the  milk  of  human  kindness,  and  in  larger 
draft  as  he  grew  in  years  and  stature,  and  when  his 
earthly  career  was  ended  he  was  laid  to  rest  by  the 
loving  hand  of  his  benefactor  in  his  family  lot  beside 
his  own  children  who  had  gone  before,  and  this  slab 
before  mentioned  was  placed  to  mark  his  grave. 

"Johnnie  Grimes"  had  no  mother  to  repeat  to  him 
' '  Mother  Goose "  or  other  nursery  rhymes,  or  provide 
other  amusement  for  him.  In  consequence  he  had  to 
depend  upon  his  own  fertile  imagination  and  inventive 
genius  for  his  pleasure,      He  never  tired  of   the  chalk 


yohn  Grimes 


89 


and  charcoal,  and  in  decorating  any  available  surface  he 
found  ever  -  increasing  delight.  Before  he  learned  his 
alphabet  he  could  copy  the  letters.  His  achievement 
in  this  line  was  a  delight  to  his  playmates  and  a  wonder 
to  the  neighborhood. 

At  the  present  day  he  possibly  would  not  be  con- 
sidered so  great  a  prodigy,  for  almost  every  family  has 
an  artist.  A  German  painter  fresh  from  Munich  a  few 
years  ago  went  to  Cincinnati  for  the  purpose  of  open- 
ing a  studio,  but  first  thought  to  make  a  house-to-house 
visitation  in  the  best  part  of  the  city  in  quest  of  pat- 
ronage. After  he  had  made  the  canvass  he  was  asked 
by  a  brother  painter  the  result  of  his  effort.  His  reply 
was,  "No  good;  I  found  a  lady  artist  in  every  family. 
I  will  try  my  fortune  in  another  city." 

It  is  some  compensation  to  the  writer  for  the  loss 
of  sight  that  he  is  denied  the  privilege  of  seeing  the 
work  of  some  of  the  would-be  artists  and  being  asked 
by  their  admiring  friends  to  pass  judgment  upon  their 
merit.  This  criticism  is  not  intended  to  discourage  the 
youth  of  the  present  day  in  the  study  of  art,  for  every 
effort  in  that  direction  encourages  the  dissemination  of 
the  true  knowledge  of  fine  art. 

Mr.  Thomas  Grant,  of  Lexington,  Kentucky,  was 
attracted  to   young  Grimes,  and   became  so  impressed 


90  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


with  his  talent  for  drawing  that  he  gave  him  employ- 
ment in  his  store.  ( Mr.  Grant  was  one  of  the  firm 
of  Downing  &  Grant,  who  had  an  oil  and  paint  store 
on  Cheapside.)  On  further  acquaintance  he  was  so  much 
pleased  with  the  beautiful  character  of  the  boy  that  he 
placed  him  as  salesman  in  the  store  and  took  him  to 
live  in  his  family,  and  finally  adopted  him  as  his  son. 

The  artist  Matt  Jouett  purchased  art  material  from 
this  store,  and  was  soon  attracted  to  the  boy  who  ground 
his  paints.  His  interest  became  so  great  that  he  took 
him  to  his  studio  as  his  disciple,  and  was  to  him  as 
Van  Dyke  was  to  Rubens.  And  he,  as  Van  Dyke,  drew 
inspiration  from  his  master.  He  not  only  spent  his 
days  in  Jouett's  studio,  but  passed  many  of  his  evenings 
at  his  house,  where  he  was  a  welcome  guest  and  a 
great  favorite  with  Mr.  Jouett's  children.  His  pleasing 
manners  and  versatility  of  genius  made  him  friends  of 
all  with  whom  he  was  thrown.  He  was  a  born  musician, 
and,  when  very  young,  mastered  the  flute  and  violin, 
and  many  pleasant  evenings  were  spent  in  accompany- 
ing Mr.  Jouett  on  the  violin.  After  the  death  of  Mr. 
Jouett  he  received  a  commission  from  Mr.  Felix  Grundy, 
of  Nashville,  Tennessee,  to  paint  his  portrait  and  those 
of  his  family.  This  completed,  he  found  other  work 
and  remained  in  Nashville  until,  overtaken  by  consump- 


RIMES'      COUNTRY  BOY." 


jfohn  Grimes 


91 


tion,  he  was  compelled  to  lay  down  his  brush  and  return 
to  Lexington  to  die. 

The  author  has  seen  but  two  of  his  pictures  —  a 
portrait,  ' '  The  Country  Lad, "  and  a  composition,  ' '  The 
Suicide."  Both  are  excellent.  "The  Country  Lad" 
was  material  gathered  when  fishing  on  the  Cumberland 
River,  a  few  miles  above  Nashville.  While  sitting  on 
the  bank  of  that  picturesque  stream  watching  the  cork 
as  it  played  upon  the  water,  suddenly  there  'burst  upon 
him  from  the  thick  growth  of  wood  a  little  country 
boy,  whose  rustic  shyness  was  soon  overcome  by  his 
interest  in  the  success  of  the  fisherman.  So  great  was 
Grimes'  admiration  of  the  beauty  of  the  child  that  the 
artistic  spirit  in  him  was  stirred  and  he  was  eager  to 
put  him  on  canvas.  Obtaining  the  consent  of  the  boy's 
parents,  he  took  him  to  Nashville  and  from  him  made 
this  pretty  picture.  The  lad  is  represented  without  a 
coat  and  showing  the  open  vest.  His  mass  of  hair  is 
in  artistic  confusion,  and  his  red  lips  are  partly  opened, 
expressing  rusticity.  In  drawing  and  harmony  of  color 
it  is  a  beautiful  work  of  art. 

The  other  picture,  "The  Suicide,"  is  most  gruesome, 
stripping  life  of  its  glamor  and  death  of  its  dignity. 
The  scene  is  an  interior  of  a  scantily  furnished  room. 
The  victim  is  lying  on  the  bed  with  the  pistol  in  hand 


92  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


which  had  done  the  fatal  deed.  The  blood  is  oozing 
from  the  head,  and  shows  the  bullet  had  taken  effect 
in  the  brain.  Although  unfinished,  this  picture  proves 
he  would  have  excelled  in  composition  as  well  as  por- 
traiture. The  perspective  of  the  room  is  fine.  These 
works  of  art  were  owned  by  the  late  J.  G.  Hunter, 
of  Lexington,  Kentucky. 

Mr.  Grant,  his  benefactor,  had  his  portfolio  of  studies 
in  crayon  and  charcoal  which  were  made  under  Jouett's 
instruction,  and  they  would  do  credit  to  the  acade- 
mician of  to  -  day. 

That  he  should  be  stricken  down  in  the  bloom  of 
youth  with  prospect  of  large  and  luscious  fruitage  in 
sight  is  sad  indeed. 

While  it  was  natural  that  his  friends  should  mourn 
his  death  because  of  his  high  moral  and  social  qualities, 
yet  it  was  but  for  a  comparatively  short  period,  as  they, 
too,  are  in  their  graves  ;  but  to  the  art  world  the  stillness 
of  his  brush  will  be  felt  throughout  all  time. 


Oliver  Frazer 


OLIVER  FKAZER. 

Photographed  from  life. 


Oliver  Frazer 


IN  the  professions  there  is  no  greater  compact  than 
exists  between  artists.  They  are  drawn  together  by 
common  sympathy,  and  therefore  delight  in  each 
other's  society.  This  pleasure  they  avail  themselves  of 
daily,  exchanging  visits  to  their  respective  studios  or 
meeting  at  some  common  rendezvous,  picture  gallery,  or 
art  emporium. 

The  engaging  topic  is  art  and  the  methods  of  painting 
and  sculpture.  This  custom  is  especially  observed  in 
cities  where  the  community  of  artists  is  large.  Lexington, 
Kentucky,  though  a  small  city,  had  a  class  of  artists  of 
no  small  ability  who  delighted  in  each  other's  society. 
They  not  only  exchanged  visits  at  their  studios,  but  could 
be  seen  almost  every  morning  at  the  drug -store  of  Mr. 
John  S.  Wilson,  on  Cheapside.  This  apothecary  was  not 
only  a  friend  to  the  artists,  but  kept  artists'  materials, 
and  was  himself  an  amateur  in  photography  —  before  the 
advent  of  the  kodak. 

'Read  before  The  Filson  Club,  April  4,  i8g8. 


96  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


The  assembly  of  master  artists  was  composed  of  such 
men  as  Joseph  H.  Bush,  Louis  Morgan,  Joel  T.  Hart, 
and  Oliver  Frazer.  It  was  a  feast  of  reason  and  a  flow 
of  spirits,  interspersed  with  sparkling  wit,  when  these 
congenial  spirits  met.  They  were  often  joined  by  their 
admiring  friends  eminent  in  other  callings,  among  whom 
were  Robert  J.  Breckinridge,  the  great  divine  ;  Doctor 
Robert  Peter,  Professor  of  Chemistry  in  the  Transylvania 
Medical  College  ;  Major  Luwynskie,  architect ;  Honorable 
George  W.  Jouett,  son  of  Mr.  Matt.  H.  Jouett,  artist,  and 
Honorable  Matt.  C.  Johnson,  prominent  at  the  bar.  At 
these  distinguished  assemblies  none  was  more  entertain- 
ing than  Oliver  Frazer,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Oliver  Frazer  was  born  in  Fayette  County,  Kentucky, 
February  4,  1808.  He  was  the  younger  of  two  sons  ; 
the  elder,  James,  at  the  age  of  twenty  -  live  met  his 
death  in  a  steamboat  collision.  His  father,  Alexander 
Frazer,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  who,  having  taken  part 
in  the  unfortunate  insurrection  of  Emmett,  escaped  to 
this  country  and  found  his  way  to  Kentucky,  finally  set- 
tling in  Lexington  in  the  early  part  of  the  present  century. 
Not  long  after  his  arrival  in  Lexington  he  married  Miss 
Nancy  Oliver,  a  beauty  of  that  place. 

Their  married  life,  however,  was  short,  for  soon  after 
Oliver's  birth  and  before  he  had  made  any  accumulation  — - 


Oliver  Frazer 


97 


only  making  a  comfortable  living  for  his  little  family  —  his 
earthly  career  was  brought  to  an  end. 

The  young  widowed  mother,  therefore,  was  left  to 
struggle  for  a  livelihood  for  her  family  and  to  provide  the 
necessary  means  for  the  education  of  her  boys  in  the 
district  school.  To  meet  the  demands  of  their  bodies 
and  to  give  them  the  advantages  in  the  cultivation  of 
their  minds  that  her  ambition  suggested  was  more  than 
her  physical  energy  could  endure.  In  her  extremity,  how- 
ever, Mr.  Robert  Frazer,  the  bachelor  brother  of  her 
husband,  came  to  her  relief  and  acted  a  father's  part  to 
his  brother's  children  by  proposing  to  place  them  in  the 
best  school  in  Lexington  at  his  own  expense. 

The  proposition,  it  is  needless  to  say,  was  promptly 
accepted,  as  she  felt  that  it  would  be  no  sacrifice  on  his 
part,  engaged  as  he  was  in  a  lucrative  business  and  with 
no  family  incumbrance. 

Whether  Oliver's  valuation  of  an  education  was  suf- 
ficient for  him  to  fully  appreciate  his  kindness  when 
offered  by  his  uncle  is  a  matter  of  conjecture.  But  it  is 
known  that  his  uncle  was  disappointed  in  that  he  did  not 
at  first  make  the  progress  that  had  been  expected  on 
account  of  his  natural  capacity.  The  early  development 
of  his  talent  for  drawing  proved  an  interruption  to  the 
pursuit  of  his  studies.    The  young  genius  would  frequently 


98  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


occupy  the  time  in  studying  the  physiognomy  of  any  avail- 
able schoolmate  or  any  object  of  interest  that  attracted 
his  attention  during  school  hours.  So  great  was  this 
disposition  that  his  teacher's  reprimand  proved  futile  to 
conquer  his  ambition.  The  natural  love  of  fine  arts  was 
greatly  stimulated  by  the  pictures  of  Mr.  Jouett,  Ken- 
tucky's great  artist,  whose  studio  he  frequently  visited. 
Despite  the  occasional  indulgence  of  this  propensity  during 
school  hours,  he  acquired  more  than  the  average  pro- 
ficiency in  his  studies.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  his 
frameless  slate  and  the  thumb-worn  leaves  of  his  rudi- 
mental  books  were  retired  to  the  upper  shelf  of  the  closet, 
and  with  no  prospect  of  their  ever  being  succeeded  by 
more  advanced  studies.  On  reaching  the  strength  of 
manhood  it  was  Frazer's  regret  that  he  did  not  pursue 
the  study  of  the  higher  branches  so  efficiently  taught  at 
Transylvania  University,  although  this  institution  at  that 
time  was  in  its  infancy. 

In  after  years  he  became  a  great  lover  of  literature, 
devoting  his  evenings  and  other  spare  moments  to  natural 
history,  biography,  and  the  standard  poets.  He  was  not 
much  given  to  the  reading  of  fiction,  and  seldom  gave 
his  time  to  novels,  even  those  by  standard  writers. 

Soon  after  quitting  school  his  uncle  placed  him  under 
the  tuition  of  Mr.  Matt.  H.  Jouett,  and,  after  remaining  in 


Oliver  Frazer 


99 


his  ( Jouett's )  studio  for  several  months,  at  the  advice  of 
his  preceptor  he  was  sent  to  Philadelphia  to  prosecute 
his  studies  of  art  under  Mr.  Thomas  Sully.  Judging  from 
his  letters  written  from  Philadelphia,  he  seems  to  have 
been  very  low  -  spirited  among  strangers,  as  a  youth  of 
twenty  would  naturally  have  been.  He  says  ' '  Mr.  Grimes 
and  Doctor  Black  and  Doctor  Bird  (an  author  of  talent) 
are  the  only  people  in  whom  I  can  take  any  pleasure. 
The  people  here  are  much  more  selfish  than  with  us  ;  if 
you  lived  here  three  months  you  would  see  the  difference 
between  this  place  and  Kentucky  ;  selfishness  is  handed 
down  from  father  to  son." 

He  says  that  he  was  much  disappointed  in  the  Academy 
pictures.  "  AUston's  picture  of  Lazarus  restored  to  life 
fell  short  of  my  expectations,  but  when  I  saw  one  of 
West's,  AUston's  looked  hke  life  in  comparison.  The 
Academy  is  managed  by  doctors  and  lawyers  who  know 
nothing  about  art,  and  the  consequence  is  people  will  not 
send  their  pictures.  There  are  only  two  contributors  this 
year.  Sully  and  Otis.  The  latter  has  forty  pictures,  among 
which  are  some  I  would  be  ashamed  of  myself.  Sully 
has  one  that  is  admirable.  It  is  a  full  length  of  a  man 
reclining  on  a  couch."  (Here  he  made  a  pencil  sketch 
of  the  picture  in  his  letter  which  is  very  pretty  and 
graceful.) 


loo         The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


Later  he  says  :  ' '  My  advantages  are  so  few  here  that 
I  shall  shortly  return  and  take  to  the  brush  and  the  living 
subject,  as  they  will  not  allow  any  of  the  Academy  pic- 
tures to  be  copied,  and  I  have  worked  long  enough  at 
casts  and  chalk."  In  the  impatience  of  the  student  to 
change  from  the  antique  to  the  ' '  life  school "  Frazer  was 
no  exception  ;  the  cold  marble  and  plaster  casts  were  less 
inspiring.  The  student,  in  his  reproduction  on  paper  of 
his  breathless  subject,  feels  not  the  need  of  hurry,  and 
therefore  puts  not  forth  the  greatest  exertion  ;  but  not 
so  in  drawing  from  life,  when  tardiness  would  put  to  trial 
the  sitter's  patience. 

His  uncle  then  sent  him  abroad,  where  he  remained 
four  years  attending  the  schools  at  Paris,  Florence,  Berlin, 
and  London. 

It  was  in  May,  1834,  that  he  left  New  York  for  Europe. 
In  his  farewell  letter  to  his  mother  he  says:  "Before 
this  reaches  you  I  will  be  on  the  ocean  ;  I  will  sail  on 
the  '  Francis  First, '  a  splendid  ship  and  bears  a  gallant 
name,  and  will  take  us  safely  across." 

He  visited  the  galleries  in  New  York  before  he  left, 
and  seemed  to  be  disappointed  in  the  portraits  with  one 
exception,  that  of  Commodore  Rogers,  by  Innis.  He  liked 
the  pictures  in  Philadelphia  much  better  than  those  in 
New  York. 


Oliver  Frazer 


lOI 


He  landed  at  Havre  on  the  nth  of  June,  and  this, 
his  first  visit  to  France,  lasted  about  six  months.  While 
in  Paris  he  studied  under  the  same  master  with  George 
P.  R.  Healy,  with  whom  ties  of  friendship  were  formed 
that  were  never  broken.  In  1846  Mr.  Healy  was  com- 
missioned by  Louis  Philippe,  King  of  France,  to  come  to 
America  to  paint  portraits  of  a  number  of  distinguished 
statesmen.  To  paint  Clay  he  came  to  Lexington,  and 
was  for  a  portion  of  the  time  a  guest  of  Mr.  Frazer. 
While  there  he  painted  a  portrait  of  himself  and  pre- 
sented it  to  his  host.  It  is  truly  a  masterpiece.  His 
post-mortem  portrait  of  Frazer  was  not  so  successful  ; 
painted  from  a  very  indifferent  photograph,  memory  failed 
to  make  up  what  it  lacked  in  modeling  and  expression. 
It  was  disappointing  in  that  it  failed  to  portray  the  noble 
qualities  of  mind  and  heart  which  the  face  of  the  original 
so  truly  reflected. 

A  gentleman  from  Lexington  met  Mr.  Healy  at  the 
World's  Fair  at  Chicago.  He  had  grown  quite  old,  but 
was  still  very  interesting.  Speaking  of  Mr.  Frazer,  he 
said :  "Of  all  my  fellow  -  students,  he  is  the  one  who 
lives  most  deeply  in  my  affectionate  remembrance." 

In  Paris  Frazer  met  Forrest,  the  actor,  who  engaged 
him  to  paint  his  portrait,  and  quite  a  cordial  friendship 
between  them  resulted.    He  often  spoke  of  Forrest  being 


to2  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


in  his  room  in  Paris  and  his  reading  for  him.  Upon  one 
occasion  he  threw  himself  into  a  theatrical  attitude  and 
said,  ' '  Now,  do  I  look  like  Hercules  ?  "  and  Frazer  replied, 
' '  You  look  like  a  gladiator. " 

In  the  Louvre  he  met  Horace  Vernet,  and  described 
him  as  a  very  bright,  interesting -looking  man,  and  a  great 
favorite  with  the  students.  Also  in  the  Louvre  he  saw 
Talleyrand.  He  described  him  as  a  venerable  -  looking 
man  with  long  white  hair,  and  his  limbs  wrapped  in 
cloths  —  a  victim  of  the  gout.  He  looked  at  him  with 
intense  interest  as  the  hero  of  so  many  great  events  in 
the  politics  of  Europe, 

As  a  general  thing  he  did  not  admire  the  portraits  in 
Paris  ;  he  thought  the  battle  pictures  fine.  "The  French," 
he  says,  ' '  are  particularly  fond  of  fighting  and  sanguinary 
battles  ;  they  do  both  perhaps  better  than  any  thing. 
The  picture  of  this  kind  that  I  admire  most  is  the  Battle 
of  Wagram.  I  could  scarcely  persuade  myself  that  I  did 
not  see  a  real  battle.  It  was  painted  by  order  of  Louis 
Philippe  for  the  Versailles  Gallery." 

He  then  visited  Switzerland,  Italy,  Belgium,  and 
England,  returning  to  Paris  in  1837.  In  writing  from 
Switzerland  he  says:  'T  saw  nothing  of  interest  after 
Paris  until  I  reached  the  Jura  Mountains  and  saw  the 
Valley  of  Geneva  with  the  lake  winding  below  and  shim- 


Oliver  Frazer 


103 


mering  like  a  silver  serpent  in  the  distance.  Above  it  all 
the  snow-covered  Alps  and  Mount  Blanc  with  its  head  in 
the  clouds.  The  scenery  was  altogether  the  most  beau- 
tiful I  ever  saw.  The  first  night  I  slept  opposite  the 
celebrated  Castle  of  Chillon,  immortalized  by  the  pen  of 
Byron,  with  its  old  gothic  dungeon.  After  leaving  Geneva 
I  set  out  for  Milan  by  the  Simplon,  that  splendid  road 
constructed  by  Napoleon.  It  runs  for  more  than  a  day's 
journey  along  the  lake." 

After  being  in  Italy  for  some  time  he  writes  from 
Florence  :  "I  often  think  what  a  good  place  this  would 
be  to  send  a  young  man  who  is  inclined  to  be  intem- 
perate, for  here  he  would  find  no  fellowship  in  drink. 
The  whole  time  I  have  been  here  I  have  seen  but  two 
drunken  men,  and  they  were  in  the  Austrian  territory. 
The  light  wines  of  Italy  account  for  this  ;  it  takes  such 
a  quantity  to  intoxicate  that  it  is  very  inconvenient  to 
get  drunk.  England  affords  a  great  contrast  to  this,  and 
so  does  France.  In  London  the  gin-shops  are  innumer- 
able and  fitted  up  in  such  splendid  style  that  they  are 
called  'Gin  Palaces.'  They  are  always  crowded  with 
men,  women,  and  children,  and  I  was  astonished  at  the 
number  of  well-dressed  women  who  frequented  these 
places.  A  drunken  woman  is  by  no  means  a  rare  sight 
in  London." 


I04  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


In  April,  1835,  he  writes:  "Florence  has  been  exceed- 
ingly gay  since  I  wrote  you  ;  the  last  week  of  the  Carnival 
for  frolicking  and  fooling  of  all  kinds  exceeds  any  thing  I 
ever  saw.  It  is  now  Lent,  and  there  is  to  be  fasting, 
praying,  and  preaching  for  forty  days." 

After  remaining  in  Italy  for  some  time  he  writes  that 
he  thinks  England  the  best  place  to  study  portraiture. 
Having  heard  also  that  Mr.  Sully  advised  all  young  art 
students  to  go  to  England,  he  considered  his  old  pre- 
ceptor high  authority,  and,  in  spite  of  his  uncle's  opinion 
that  it  would  be  best  for  him  to  remain  in  Italy,  he  begs 
his  indulgence  in  this  and  sets  off  for  England. 

June,  1835,  finds  him  in  London,  and  he  writes  to  his 
mother :  "I  am  delighted  with  the  English  school  of 
pictures,  and  I  have  been  introduced  to  Mr.  Charles 
Leslie,  the  celebrated  artist,  who  has  kindly  gotten 
permission  for  me  to  draw  in  the  Museum."  Mr. 
Leslie  also  gave  him  his  card  and  invited  him  to  see 
him,  of  which  civility,  strange  to  say,  he  never  took 
advantage. 

Like  all  people  far  away  from  home,  he  longed  to  hear 
every  thing  and  of  everybody,  and  was  restive  under  any 
advice.  To  his  mother  he  said:  "If  your  letter  had 
been  less  like  a  sermon  and  more  like  a  newspaper  it 
would  have  been  more  interesting.     Write  me  news  —  no 


FRAZER'S  WIFE  AND  CHILDREN. 

From  a  painting  l)y  liimself. 


Oliver  Frazer 


105 


advice.  Why,  I  myself  could  give  advice  that  would  do 
no  discredit  to  a  preacher,  but  to  be  practically  good  and 
theoretically  so  are  two  different  things."  Again  he  says 
to  her  :  "I  am  sorry  to  hear  you  are  losing  your  teeth  ; 
it  is  a  great  misfortune,  and  from  what  I  can  learn  the 
best  artificial  ones  are  but  poor  substitutes.  I  never  pass 
the  cases  in  the  dentists'  windows  without  shuddering,  for 
in  addition  to  the  horrid  sets  of  artificial  teeth  of  every 
size  and  shape  with  their  ghastly  vermilion  gums,  I  am 
forcibly  reminded  of  the  dilapidated  state  of  my  own 
grinders.  In  one  of  the  windows  in  the  Palace  Royal 
are  displayed  two  of  the  teeth  of  Napoleon.  They  are 
encircled  with  a  wreath  of  gold,  surmounted  by  the 
imperial  eagle.  They  look  very  much  like  the  teeth  of 
an  ordinary  mortal,  but  of  very  small  and  delicate  pro- 
portions, but  the  roots  hook  outward  in  such  a  manner 
that  when  extracted  they  must  have  created  quite  a 
sensation  in  the  imperial  jaw." 

The  thorough  course  of  study  and  rigid  enforcement 
of  principles  taught  required  greater  application  from 
Frazer  than  he  had  ever  experienced.  The  two  years' 
course  in  drawing  ( the  grammar  of  painting )  was  a  trial 
to  his  patience,  for,  like  most  beginners  in  the  school  of 
art,  he  was  eager  to  experiment  with  his  brush,  coloring, 
in  his  opinion,  being  the  most  essential. 


io6  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bhtegrass 


He  was  taught  that  crayon  and  charcoal,  when  suc- 
ceeded by  the  brush  loaded  with  color,  was  only  a 
continuation  of  drawing — the  outline  sketch,  the  linear; 
the  modeling  in  colors,  the  perspective.  The  proper 
location  of  light  and  shadow  was  dependent  upon  correct 
drawing.  These  principles  he  never  forgot.  Then,  too, 
the  method  in  coloring  was  quite  different  from  the 
instruction  of  his  former  preceptor,  Mr.  Sully,  which 
proved  a  hindrance  rather  than  an  advantage  in  his 
studies  abroad,  yet  he  never  lost  sight  of  the  teachings 
of  Jouett  as  to  the  setting  of  his  palette. 

Acquiring  a  great  proficiency  with  his  brush,  he  returned 
to  Lexington,  where  he  opened  a  studio  of  his  own,  the 
walls  of  which  were  adorned  with  copies  of  many  of  the 
masters  of  the  Louvre  and  other  national  galleries.  One 
of  the  copies  was  "Diana  and  her  Nymphs."  It  repre- 
sents the  scene  where  Diana  converts  Actseon  into  a  stag 
because  of  his  indelicate  intrusion  upon  them  while  bathing. 
While  it  was  morally  pure  in  its  grouping,  the  fastidious 
female  visitors  to  his  studio  would  hastily  pass  it  by  to 
inspect  its  neighbors.  Not  long  after  its  hanging,  a  lady 
in  the  humble  walks  of  life,  accompanied  by  her  beautiful 
daughter  of  sixteen  or  seventeen,  visited  the  young  artist, 
not  to  see  his  collection,  but  to  engage  him  to  perpetuate 
on  canvas  the  form  and  features  of  the  lovely  daughter. 


Oliver  Frazer 


107 


Soon  after  the  stipulations  had  been  made  regarding  the 
cost  of  the  portrait  and  number  of  sittings  required,  the 
mother's  eyes  unfortunately  turned  to  this  painting  of 
"Diana  and  her  Nymphs,"  and  she  said  in  rather  a 
positive  voice,  ' '  Well,  sir,  if  my  daughter  is  to  sit  for  her 
likeness  you  must  put  clothes  on  those  women  or  take 
the  picture  down."  So  anxious  was  the  young  artist  to 
secure  the  commission  that  he  promised  to  comply  with 
the  conditions,  preferring  rather  to  remove  it  from  sight 
than  to  clothe  the  figures.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  state 
that  the  work  was  as  faithfully  executed  as  though  the 
patron  had  been  of  the  higher  stratum  of  society  ;  and 
the  expression  of  satisfaction  by  the  mother  gave  the 
painter  as  much  pleasure  as  if  bestowed  by  one  better 
acquainted  with  works  of  art. 

While  he  never  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  compliments 
from  any  one  when  sincerely  given,  yet  his  natural 
good  sense  proved  a  barrier  to  the  seductive  influence 
of  flattery.  Besides  his  accomplishments,  his  attractive 
appearance  and  dignified  deportment  at  once  won  him  a 
host  of  friends.  Not  only  young  people  of  his  age,  but 
older  ones  were  drawn  to  him.  In  stature  he  was  slightly 
above  medium  height,  and  in  weight  one  hundred  and  forty- 
five  or  fifty  pounds.  He  was  so  symmetrically  proportioned 
that  his  movements  were  both  graceful  and  dignified. 


io8         The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


He  had  not  long  to  wait  for  sitters,  receiving  encourage- 
ment from  the  first  famihes  in  the  city.  His  heads 
commanded  the  highest  price  ( fifty  dollars )  charged  by 
the  older  and  more  experienced  artists  of  Kentucky  at 
the  beginning  of  his  professional  career. 

In  the  year  1838  he  was  married  to  Miss  Martha  Bell 
Mitchell,  of  Lexington,  Kentucky,  an  unusually  sprightly 
and  accomplished  lady. 

Realizing  from  the  first  the  pecuniary  responsibility  of 
his  new  relation,  he  did  not  wait,  then  at  his  easel,  on 
the  capricious  moods  of  inspiration  at  all  times  as  had 
been  his  former  habit. 

Despite  his  efforts,  however,  he  was  unable  fully  to 
conquer  this  disposition.  In  one  of  his  visits  to  the 
studio  of  the  writer  (  who  was  then  a  disciple  of  his )  to 
inspect  the  task  assigned,  he  was  disappointed  at  the 
little  progress  made  and  wanted  to  know  the  cause.  The 
student's  reluctant  reply  was,  "I  was  just  waiting  for  the 
spirit  to  move  me."  At  this  response  he  felt  that  he 
himself  had  been  rebuked,  and  could  only  rejoin  by  saying, 
"Young  man,  take  my  precept  but  shun  my  example." 
Like  all  men  of  genius  largely  dependent  upon  inspira- 
tion, his  pictures  were  not  always  up  to  his  standard  of 
excellence.  His  best  were  full  of  feeling.  It  is  only 
mechanical    painters   that   are   uniform    in   their  work. 


Oliver  Frazer 


109 


Strong  male  heads  were  Frazer's  delight.  In  painting 
the  delicate  features  of  the  female  face  it  was  an  exception 
when  his  brush  was  excited  to  its  fullest  capacity.  He 
said  the  majority  of  women  wanted  to  be  made  pretty 
whether  nature  had  or  not  in  this  respect  been  lavish  in 
her  endowments.  In  his  execution  he  was  always  happy 
in  combining  strength  with  delicacy.  Had  he  had  less 
of  the  former  quality  he  would  have  been  more  successful 
with  his  female  sitters.  The  better  reason,  perhaps,  was 
due  to  the  fact  that  his  high  sense  of  veracity  made  it 
difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  practice  on  canvas  that  which 
he  did  not  in  speech  —  the  retailing  of  fulsome  fiattery. 

His  style  had  not  the  breadth  to  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  demand  of  the  present  day.  The  broad 
and  full  brush,  with  but  little  or  no  detail,  is  the  craze 
of  the  hour.  He  certainly  would  not  have  been  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  modern  "impressionism" — a  style  that  has 
been  much  in  vogue  but  was  unknown  in  his  day  —  and 
he  would  have  considered  it,  as  does  the  writer,  a  per- 
version of  art.  Impressionism,  properly  so  called,  was 
the  result  of  a  small  group  of  painters  in  Paris,  France, 
and  for  a  short  time  it  had  a  great  following,  but  soon 
lost  its  distinctive  character,  since  the  one  problem  with 
which  it  dealt  was  out-of-door  nature  in  sunlight.  It  was 
a  new  theory  of  color  resulting  from  the  discovery  that 


I  lO 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


vivid  color  light  excited  color  impressions  upon  the  optic 
nerve  which  did  not  exist  in  the  scene  but  were  present 
to  the  eye,  and  should  be  represented  as  though  they 
really  existed.  It  dealt  purely  with  the  color  values,  real 
and  apparent,  and  troubled  itself  with  very  little  else, 
hence  the  carelessness  as  regarded  line,  light,  and  shadow 
or  modeling  effect  on  chiaro-oscuro  composition  and  the 
other  qualities  which  had  been  regarded  as  essentials  to 
a  picture.  In  order  to  lay  more  stress  upon  this  one 
feature  it  endeavored  to  get  light  by  painting  upon  an 
extremely  light  key  of  light,  and  not  by  contrasts  of  light 
and  shadow,  eliminating  the  latter  as  far  as  possible  from 
the  canvas.  Substituting  contrast  of  color  for  contrast  of 
light  and  dark,  they  adopted  the  style  which  prevailed  in 
decorative  art,  in  which  an  effect  pleasing  to  the  eye  was 
sought,  subverting  all  more  serious  purposes,  and  as  the 
latter  is  intended  to  have  a  retiring  effect  belonging  to 
the  second  place,  the  "impressionists"  pitched  their  fore- 
ground to  correspond  in  strength  to  the  middle  distance, 
thus  avoiding  many  of  the  difficulties  of  representing 
nature  from  a  nearer  view.  Such  is,  briefly,  the  impression 
received  by  the  writer  of  "impressionism."  The  only  dis- 
tinctively new  feature  in  it  was  color  impression  excited 
by  vivid  color  light,  and  the  attempt  to  represent  nature 
in  motion  instead  of  at  rest. 


Oliver  Frazer 


111 


This  brief  movement  was  succeeded  by  several  phases 
terminating  in  what  is  now  styled  the  ' '  modernist "  or 
"plain  artists,"  who  are  endeavoring  to  graft  their  prin- 
ciples upon  what  preceded  them  of  all  schools,  so  far  as 
they  can,  and  still  retain  a  distinctive  style.  Of  the 
latter  school  there  were  some  admirable  examples  as  far 
as  they  went,  their  charm  consisting  in  a  tender  arrange- 
ment of  color  harmony,  but  lacking  in  the  fullness  and 
satisfying  power  of  the  greater  schools  of  painting,  while 
the  mass  of  the  latter  work  is  poor  —  utterly  destitute  of 
what  is  known  as  ' '  quality  of  color, "  and,  being  the 
work  of  men  of  inferior  talent  and  inadequate  technical 
training,  are  scarcely  to  be  regarded  as  fine  art  at  all. 

The  artists  of  the  new  school  limit  themselves  to  a 
few  problems  of  light  and  color.  However  good  these 
may  be,  or  however  successful  the  results,  it  is  strange 
that  men  of  great  earnestness  and  genius  are  content 
with  an  art  which  does  not  admit  of  the  fullest  expression 
of  their  power  in  every  feature  that  their  art  is  capable 
of  conveying. 

The  new  art  as  practiced  by  the  extremist  is  to  the 
artists  of  the  old  school  extremely  distastefu-l,  but  it  is 
not  to  those  we  must  look  for  the  best  results.  The 
conservative  man  with  honest  purpose  may  shape  some- 
thing of  permanent  value  to  be  added  to  the  traditions 


1 1 2  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


of  the  past,  which  is  already  so  rich  in  its  resources, 
sounding  as  it  does  the  full  gamut  of  light  and  color, 
employing  chiaro-oscuro  to  the  full  power  of  the  palette  ; 
it  stirs  the  soul  by  its  lighter  or  darker  moods,  especially 
in  the  profound  depth  and  mystery  of  shadow,  touching 
the  superficial  and  the  more  serious  problems  of  life, 
probing  to  the  depths  of  human  thought  and  emotion 
as  well  as  the  gayer  or  more  tragical  aspects  of  the 
elements. 

There  is  room  for  a  vast  variety  in  art  expression 
without  sacrificing  truth.  There  is  no  need  of  narrowness 
or  exclusiveness  ;  only  the  false  and  meretricious  need  be 
rejected,  and  all  accepted  which  will  bear  the  test  of 
comparison  with  a  just  view  of  nature.  The  rarer  forms 
of  art  expression  will  always  be  those  in  which  nature 
has  passed  through  the  medium  of  a  highly  sensitized 
and  poetic  soul.  Thomas  Wharton  thus  amusingly  wrote 
after  seeing  an  exhibition  of  impressionist  pictures  : 

And  if  the  purple  curfew  tolls  the  knell  of  the  purple  day, 
And  the  purple  herd  winds  slowly  upon  the  purple  lea, 

And  the  purple  ploughman  homeward  plods  his  purple  way, 
You  may  leave  the  world  to  darkness,  but  do  n't  leave  it  to  me. 

Frazer's  best  portraits  were  faultless  in  drawing,  trans- 
parent in  color,  and  gradation  of  modeling  masterly. 


MATTHEW  T.  SCOTT. 


I''roiii  ail  oil  paintinj<  liy  01i\er  Frazcr. 


Oliver  Fraser 


113 


His  great  admiration  of  Sir  Thomas  Lawrence  as  a 
head  painter  caused  him  continually  to  strive  in  imitation 
of  his  style,  consequently  their  treatment  was  not  unlike. 
Morgan,  the  artist,  would  often  stand  back  of  Frazer 
when  the  latter  was  at  work,  so  much  did  he  admire  his 
coloring.  On  one  occasion,  in  the  hearing  of  the  writer, 
Morgan  exclaimed  while  watching  the  masterly  strokes  of 
his  friend's  brush,  "  Pard,  I  envy  your  touch!"  Con- 
sidering the  very  high  estimate  Frazer  had  for  this  painter, 
this  compliment  was  highly  appreciated.  Had  he  unfavor- 
ably criticised  his  treatment  it  would  have  been  received 
in  the  same  spirit,  knowing  it  was  not  from  any  unfriendly 
motive.  Unfavorable  criticism  from  a  pretender,  prompted 
by  sinister  motives,  was  to  him  naturally  repugnant. 

On  one  occasion  Frazer's  patience  was  severely  tried 
by  an  unjust  criticism  by  one  of  those  characters.  A 
gentleman  friend  on  entering  the  artist's  studio  one  after- 
noon found  him  in  a  very  irascible  mood,  and,  on  inquiring 

the  cause,  he  said  :    "Mrs.    called  a  few  moments 

ago  to  see  her  husband's  portrait  that  I  had  just  finished, 
and  because  of  the  folds  in  the  coat  and  vest  condemned 
it  ;  she  must  take  me  to  be  a  d  —  d  tailor."  Two  cox- 
combs of  the  city  who  prided  themselves  upon  their 
artistic  culture  attained  in  a  recent  visit  to  Europe,  where 
they  had  hastily  examined  the  collections  of  some  of  the 


114  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


prominent  galleries,  called  to  see  Healy's  portrait  of 
General  Jackson,  and  made  known  the  object  of  their 
visit  in  a  patronizing  manner.  Frazer,  directing  them  to 
the  painting  that  was  sitting  on  the  floor  next  to  the 
copy  he  had  recently  painted,  left  it  to  them  to  determine 
the  original.  After  examining  each  picture  critically  one 
of  them  remarked  to  the  artist,  who  was  busily  engaged 
before  his  easel,  "Your  copy  is  not  up  to  the  original 
painting,"  at  the  same  time  pointing  to  Healy's  picture. 
In  reply  Frazer  asked  him  to  look  at  the  name  at  the 
lower  left-hand  corner  of  the  canvas  of  the  one  they  had 
condemned.  One  immediately  complied  with  his  request. 
Upon  resuming  his  perpendicular  he  remarked  to  his 
companion,  "Hell,  Jim,  that  is  Healy's  picture!"  After 
this  they  both  beat  a  hasty  retreat.  The  feelings  of  the 
artist  can  better  be  imagined  than  described. 

As  before  stated,  Frazer  was  not  sensitive  to  friendly 
criticism  when  given  by  one  competent  to  judge,  and 
indeed  would  often  invite  it,  so  little  did  he  value  his  own 
work.  He  was  his  hardest  master,  and  would  hardly  ever 
let  a  portrait  leave  his  studio,  however  satisfactory  to  his 
patron,  if  not  up  to  his  idea  of  artistic  execution.  The 
disposition  to  undervalue  his  own  efforts  was  consequent 
on  innate  modesty  or  the  consciousness  that  his  power  of 
execution  was  inadequate  to  even  moderately  portray  on 


Oliver  Frazer 


canvas  his  high  conception  of  nature  and  the  knowledge 
of  true  art.  In  accepting  the  latter  as  the  most  natural 
reason,  modesty  must  be  considered  the  primary  cause. 
The  saying  that  modesty  is  an  evidence  of  genius  was  in 
him  fully  confirmed. 

As  an  instance  of  this,  he  had  painted  a  splendid  por- 
trait of  Colonel  W.  R.  McKee,  who  had  fallen  while 
leading  his  regiment  in  a  charge  at  the  Battle  of  Buena 
Vista.  His  family  and  friends  were  greatly  delighted 
with  the  portrait,  but  when  they  desired  to  take  it  home 
the  artist  insisted  it  was  not  finished.  All  persuasion 
and  argument  had  failed  when  a  happy  device  was  agreed 
upon  that  the  decision  should  rest  upon  what  the  Colonel's 
little  daughter,  Mattie,  would  say  when  first  seeing  it. 
The  portrait  was  removed  to  Mrs.  McKee's  residence  ;  it 
was  then  placed  on  a  chair  with  proper  draperies  as  one 
sitting,  suitable  light  having  been  arranged.  The  picture 
was  in  the  parlor,  the  door  left  open,  while  the  painter 
and  family  and  a  few  eager  friends  occupied  the  library 
adjoining,  awaiting  the  return  of  the  little  girl  from  school. 
Soon  the  front  door  opened  ;  she  was  heard  in  the  hall  ; 
she  stopped  a  moment  at  the  parlor  door,  and  then  came 
running  in,  saying  joyfully,  "Mamma,  mamma,  I  always 
said  that  my  papa  would  come  home  again."  That 
settled  the  question,  and   a   more   pleased   or  gratified 


ti6  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Btuegrass 


expression  seldom  lighted  up  the  painter's  placid  face. 
So  small  was  the  appreciation  Frazer  had  for  the  result 
of  his  own  brush,  it  is  not  strange  that  the  work  of 
inferior  painters  should  have  given  him  no  pleasure,  and 
that  he  avoided  their  acquaintance.  To  the  youthful 
student  in  art  who  showed  natural  talent  he  was  always 
disposed  to  give  a  helping  hand,  but  those  who  evinced 
no  natural  genius  he  would  endeavor  to  turn  into  another 
channel  when  his  advice  was  asked. 

At  one  time  a  young  apprentice  of  a  house  painter 
sought  his  advice  as  to  the  propriety  of  his  learning  to 
paint  the  human  face  instead  of  acquiring  a  proficiency 
in  graining.  The  artist  endeavored  to  convince  him  that 
it  required  more  than  a  mechanical  use  of  the  brush  to 
become  a  good  portrait  painter  ;  that  talent  was  necessary 
for  success  in  its  attainment.  This  the  apprentice  thought 
he  possessed,  and  requested  the  permission  to  bring  one 
of  his  paintings  for  the  artist's  inspection.  The  request 
being  granted,  the  apprentice  started  immediately  for  the 
"gem"(?).  On  his  entrance  to  the  studio  he  set  it 
down  on  the  lioor  next  to  another  portrait.  He  had  not 
more  than  put  it  in  position  when  a  gentleman  friend  of 
Frazer's  entered,  followed  by  his  Newfoundland  dog. 
The  animal  at  once  sighted  this  picture,  set  up  a  growl, 
then  approached  it  and  with  his  huge  paw  knocked  it 


Oliver  Frazer 


over.  After  this  performance  he  demurely  moved  to  the 
opposite  side  of  the  room  and  quietly  laid  down.  This 
act  of  the  canine  so  affected  the  risibilities  of  the  owner 
that  he  had  not  the  composure  to  ask  pardon  or  to 
readjust  the  property  of  the  apprentice.  The  latter 
hastily  picked  it  up,  placed  it  under  his  arm,  and  made 
an  unceremonious  exit  from  the  room.  Scarcely  had  the 
door  been  closed  when  the  owner  of  the  dog  burst  out 
afresh,  but  with  more  volume  of  voice,  joined  in  this  time 
by  the  host,  who  was  unable  longer  to  suppress  his  mirth, 
for  he,  too,  had  a  keen  sense  of  the  ridiculous.  As  soon 
as  the  guffaw  had  subsided,  the  painter  asked  his  friend 
how  much  money  he  would  take  for  this  animal,  saying, 
"He  is  the  smartest  dog  I  ever  saw  ;  he  is  a  fine  art  critic 
—  he  can  tell  a  daub  at  first  sight."  This  instance  tended 
to  enhance  the  already  high  appreciation  he  had  of  the 
canine.  His  fondness  for  domestic  animals,  especially  the 
dog  and  cat,  was  almost  a  passion.  To  him  it  was  a 
pleasant  pastime  to  study  their  habits  and  watch  their 
gambols.  The  thorough  knowledge  of  the  racer  made 
him  the  best  of  authority  as  to  the  registration  of  the 
thoroughbred.  Wit  being  a  natural  accompaniment  of 
genius,  Frazer  possessed  it  in  an  unmeasurable  degree. 
Since  it  was  of  satirical  mould,  he  was  always  careful  in 
handling  the  formidable  weapon  lest  he  might  inflict  more 


1 1 8  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


than  a  surface  wound.  Like  light  and  shadow  he  so 
skillfully  treated  in  his  pictures,  his  vivacity  of  spirits  was 
interrupted  with  periods  of  mental  depression.  When  in 
his  happiest  frame  of  mind  he  was  delightful  company  — 
his  fine  conversational  powers,  his  sparkling  wit,  and  gen- 
eral intelligence,  with  a  tenacious  memory,  attracting  all 
classes  to  him,  and  especially  the  most  cultivated  of  both 
sexes. 

Mr.  Henry  Clay  pronounced  him  one  of  the  most 
entertaining  persons  he  ever  knew.  When  he  sat  to  him 
for  his  portrait  he  was  less  restless  than  when  being 
painted  by  any  other  artist.  So  well  versed  was  the 
artist  in  politics  (being  of  the  party  of  his  distinguished 
sitter ),  he  could  talk  to  this  great  statesman  entertain- 
ingly on  matters  of  State.  This  doubtless  accounts  for 
the  success  of  the  portrait.  Mr.  Clay  thought  it  the  best 
ever  painted  of  him,  and  evinced  his  sincerity  by  recom- 
mending it  to  his  admiring  friends.  The  result  was  that 
the  artist  secured  three  orders  for  copies.  This  portrait 
was  not  superior,  in  point  of  artistic  merit,  to  others  from 
his  brush.  The  ones  called  to  mind  are  those  of  Chief 
Justice  George  Robertson  ;  Mr.  M.  T.  Scott,  President  of 
the  Bank  of  Kentucky ;  Mr.  Joel  T.  Hart,  the  sculptor, 
and  the  family  group  consisting  of  his  own  wife  and  two 
infant  children.      Any  one   of   the   portraits  mentioned 


Oliver  Frazer 


119 


would  have  given  their  author  a  world-wide  reputation 
had  they  been  exhibited  abroad.  His  great  mistake  was 
in  locating  himself  in  so  small  a  place  as  Lexington.  The 
horizon  was  too  contracted  for  one  of  his  genius.  Had 
he  lived  in  New  York  or  Boston,  the  art  atmosphere 
would  have  stimulated  him  to  greater  exertion.  The 
constant  contact  with  other  painters  and  the  inspecting 
of  their  works  would  have  excited  in  him  more  of  a 
spirit  of  rivalry  and  less  disposition  to  copy  himself  all 
the  while.  His  brush  was  less  prolific  in  his  latter 
years  because  of  impaired  vision. 

On  the  9th  of  February,  1864,  after  an  illness  of 
several  months,  he  was  summoned  to  lay  down  his  palette 
and  brush  forever.  Although  confined  to  the  house  for 
several  months  prior  to  his  death  —  caused  by  a  dis- 
ordered liver  and  impaired  circulation  —  the  final  summons 
was  a  surprise  to  both  his  family  and  friends.  His  death 
cast  a  pall  over  Lexington  and  throughout  the  State. 
He  was  one  of  Kentucky's  favorite  sons.  The  State 
should  have  placed  his  and  Jouett's  remains  alongside  of 
those  of  Hart  in  the  State  Cemetery  at  Frankfort,  and 
over  the  remains  placed  a  shaft  of  granite  in  honor  of 
three  of  Kentucky's  best  artists.  But  it  is  perhaps 
best  that  his  ashes  were  not  disturbed,  for  they  now 
lie  in  the  beautiful  cemetery  at  Lexington  among  his 


I20  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


friends  and  relatives,  to  remain  in  peace  until  the  clarion 
call  of  the  archangel.  A  modest  and  appropriate  marble 
column,  erected  at  the  instance  of  his  affectionate  widow, 
marks  his  grave,  and  on  it  is  inscribed  the  last  verse 
from  the  beautiful  poem  in  memoriam  written  by  his  life- 
long friend,  Mrs.  Catherine  Warfield,  of  Lexington.  The 
poem  is  as  follows  : 

It  came  upon  us  like  the  thunder's  roll. 

In  an  unclouded  sky,  when  winds  are  low  ; 
And  wild  rebellious  words,  without  control, 

Gave  the  first  utterance  to  our  bitter  woe  ; 
But  soon  the  thought  of  that  supernal  bliss, 

The  heavenly  portion  now  of  one  who  led 
A  life  so  pure,  so  sanctified  as  his, 

Brought  a  just  sense  of  what  we  owe  the  dead, 
And  we  rejoiced  with  his  enfranchised  soul. 

'  Tis  for  the  living  that  our  tears  are  shed, 

Those  that  he  cherished  with  a  love  so  true. 
Who,  for  the  want  of  that  divinest  bread, 

The  heart's  best  aliment  —  Heaven's  honey  dew, 
Shall  pine  and  languish  wearily  and  long 

Before  affection's  hunger  is  allayed 
By  Heavenly  manna,  and  the  calm  and  strong 

Ameliorating  hand  of  time  is  laid 
On  hearts  that  may  not  now  be  comforted. 


Oliver  Fraser 


12  1 


So,  gentle  spirit,  never  more  on  earth 

Shall  purer  essence  dwell  in  mortal  mould, 
Or  sweeter  influence  fall  o'er  home  and  hearth 

Than  it  was  thine  to  shed.    The  form  is  cold 
That  in  its  fragile  bonds  contained  thee  here, 

But  on  the  wings  of  morning  hast  thou  sped. 
In  thy  triumphant  flight  from  sphere  to  sphere. 

And  Genius,  once  earth-bound  and  limited. 
Is  wakened  now  to  an  immortal  birth. 

The  funeral  took  place  from  Christ  Episcopal  Church, 
Lexington.  The  services  were  conducted  by  the  Reverend 
Doctor  Shipman.  Some  of  the  pall -bearers  were  Mr. 
Richard  Higgins,  Doctor  Llewellyn  Tarlton,  Mr.  William 
A.  Dudley,  Mr.  William  Warfield,  Alexander  Jeffrey,  and 
J.  J.  Hunter. 

The  following  obituary  sketches  appeared  in  the  Lex- 
ington and  Louisville  press  : 

DIED, 

On  the  morning  of  Saturday,  February  gth,  at  his  residence,  near 
Lexington,  OHver  Frazer,  Esquire,  in  the  fifty-seventh  year  of  his  age. 

Mr.  Frazer  was  a  painter  and  true  artist.  He  loved  his 
profession  for  its  own  sake  far  more  than  for  its  pecuniary  gains. 
He  was  diffident  of  his  own  powers  to  an  extreme  degree.  His 
taste,  naturally  delicate,  was  refined  by  intimate  acquaintance 
with  the  best  productions  of  the  ancient  and  modern  schools. 
He  was  not  readily  content  with  his  own  labors  ;  their  defects, 
magnified  by  his  critical  eye,  gave  him  more  pain  than  he  derived 


1 2  2         The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bltiegrass 


pleasure  from  their  excellencies  which  delighted  others.  He  had 
little  ambition  or  desire  for  riches.  His  pencil  was  therefore 
never  prolific,  and  for  several  years  before  his  death  his  defective 
vision  had  caused  its  almost  entire  relinquishment.  Few  of  his 
pictures  are  known  to  the  public,  but  they  are  of  very  rare 
merit.  Other  artists  who  knew  his  powers  have  said  that  he 
only  did  enough  to  indicate  what  he  could  have  done. 

It  is  as  a  man,  however,  that  we  wish  to  speak  of  him.  He 
was  honest  and  straight-forward,  and  had  a  lofty  scorn  for  every 
thing  base  or  mean.  He  was  kind,  affectionate,  and  true.  He 
had  traveled  much  in  early  life,  and  knew  men  of  every  pro- 
fession in  different  lands.  His  reading  in  art  and  general  literature 
was  extensive  beyond  that  of  most  men.  His  retentive  memory 
had  its  stores  always  at  command.  His  manners  were  perfectly 
simple  and  unaffected.  Coupled  with  these  his  sparkling  wit  and 
charming  powers  of  narration  made  him  often  an  instructive  and 
always  a  delightful  companion. 

If  nothing  is  said  of  his  domestic  life  it  is  only  because  these 
are  precincts  too  sacred  to  be  trodden  here. 

He  had  few  intimate  associates  ;  his  retiring  modesty  forbade 
an  extensive  acquaintance,  but  by  them  he  was  highly  prized 
and  dearly  loved.  They  offer  this  last  poor  tribute  to  his 
memory. 

To  all  of  us  his  death  was  sudden  and  unexpected — a  sore 
calamity  and  heavy  loss.  In  the  words  of  his  own  favorite 
author  — 

We  bow  to  Heaven  that  willed  it  so. 

That  darkly  rules  the  fate  of  all, 
That  sends  the  respite  or  the  blow, 

That's  free  to  give  or  to  recall. 


Oliver  Frazer 


123 


DEATH  OF  A  KENTUCKY  ARTIST. 
(From  the  Louisville  Journal.) 

We  are  much  pained  at  the  announcement  in  the  Lexington 
papers  of  the  death  of  the  gifted  Oliver  Frazer.  His  spark  of 
Ufe  went  gently  out  on  the  9th  instant,  at  his  residence  near 
that  city.  He  leaves  an  interesting  family,  and  has  gone  into 
the  "undiscovered  country"  lamented  by  thousands  who  appre- 
ciated his  genius,  his  fine  social  qualities  and  vigorous  intellect. 
In  many  respects  Oliver  Frazer  was  a  remarkable  man.  At  an 
early  age  he  commenced  painting  as  a  pupil  of  Kentucky's  great 
artist,  Matthew  Jouett,  and  evidence  of  rare  genius  was  soon 
developed.  Mr.  Jouett  died,  and  young  Frazer  left  for  Europe 
to  catch  the  inspiration  of  the  old  masters  in  the  famed  galleries 
of  the  Continent.  He  passed  several  years  of  his  life  at  Florence, 
Dresden,  Paris,  and  Rome,  and  in  the  very  shadow  of  the  Vati- 
can plied  himself  to  the  profession  to  which  his  energies  were 
to  be  devoted.  After  finishing  his  studies  abroad  he  returned  to 
Kentucky  and  was  promptly  met  by  the  warm  encouragement 
so  invigorating  to  young  ambition. 

His  success  as  a  portrait  painter  was  marked.  From  his 
studio  have  gone  forth  many  splendid  specimens  of  art — some 
unsurpassed.  Frazer's  Henry  Clay,  without  disparaging  the 
efforts  of  the  many  who  have  attempted  the  features  of  the 
"great  Commoner,"  is  beyond  doubt  the  Clay  of  all  yet  painted, 
for  while  in  daily  contact  with  Mr.  Clay  he  succeeded  in  catch- 
ing the  living,  breathing  expression  —  the  fire,  the  soul  of  the 
mighty  man  —  and  has,  as  by  a  magic  stroke,  left  to  the  world 
a  picture  which,  to  coming  time,  will  daily  be  more  precious. 
To  have  painted  such  a  picture  of  such  a  man  is  surely  fame 
enough.  But  as  a  social,  cultivated  gentleman,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  was  particularly  striking.  In  conversation  he  was 
truly  brilliant,  with  sufficient  eccentricity  to  render  his  manner 
fascinating  in  the  extreme.  Having  been  a  constant  reader  of 
the  best  class  of  works,  and  gifted  by  nature  with  a  tenacious 


i  24  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bhtegrass 


memory,  he  was  one  of  the  most  entertaining  of  men,  few 
possessing  such  powerful  control  of  language. 

He  was  original  in  all  things,  imitating  in  nothing,  and  eccen- 
tric even  to  the  standard  of  a  genius.  Though  well  informed 
and  talented,  he  had  no  faith  in  his  own  superior  powers. 
Unfortunately  for  art  his  eyesight  was  imperfect  for  many  years 
towards  the  close  of  his  life.  In  him  much  has  been  lost :  Art 
has  lost  a  gifted  contributor,  society  a  just  and  generous  gen- 
tleman, and  our  State  a  son  of  whose  genius  and  worth  she 
well  may  be  proud. 

Out  of  seven  children,  only  four  ( daughters )  survived 
him.  At  this  writing  only  three  are  living,  Miss  Fanny 
having  died  in  the  year  1878  at  the  age  of  thirty-two. 

Mrs.  Frazer  and  two  unmarried  daughters  still  reside 
on  the  small  farm  about  three  miles  northwest  of  Lex- 
ington, where  Mr.  Frazer  spent  most  of  his  married  life. 
Mrs.  Redd,  the  third  daughter,  lives  in  the  suburbs  at  a 
convenient  distance  from  her  husband's  place  of  business 
in  the  city.  The  Frazers'  homestead  is  a  substantial 
brick  building  with  no  great  architectural  pretense.  The 
natural  and  artificial  environments  make  it  so  picturesque 
that  the  visitor,  on  first  seeing  it,  is  struck  with  its 
appropriateness  as  the  abode  of  an  artist.  The  walls  of 
the  rooms  are  covered  with  works  of  art,  principally 
portraits.  Besides  those  from  Frazer's  easel,  there  are 
several  heads  by  Jouett  and  Healy. 


Louis  Morgan 


SIMON  KENTON. 

From  an  oil  painting  by  Louis  Morgan,  owned  by  Colonel  R.  T.  Durrett. 


Louis  Morgan 


HE  historian,  in  his  effort  to  obtain  the  locaHty  of 


1  the  subject  of  his  biography,  is  determined  by  the 
State  of  his  adoption  rather  than  of  his  birth  — 
just  as  the  individual  right  to  an  adopted  child,  whose 
bodily  support  and  moral  and  mental  training  are  credited 
to  the  foster  parent,  is  paramount,  the  natural  parent 
only  claiming  the  right  of  progenitor.  Besides  this,  the 
consciousness  that  the  child  recognizes  no  other  parental 
authority  to  be  superior  is  conclusive,  though  the  validity 
of  the  title  is  not  made  void  by  his  opposition. 

Kentucky's  claim  to  the  great  Commoner,  the  sage  of 
Ashland,  is  superior  to  that  of  Virginia,  the  State  of  his 
nativity.  For  the  same  reason  Kentucky  can  not  find 
fault  justly  with  the  State  of  Illinois  for  claiming  Abraham 
Lincoln,  the  martyred  President,  but  is  satisfied  with  the 
knowledge  that  his  advent  on  earth  was  made  within  her 
borders.     For  a  like  reason,  also,  Kentucky  claims  Louis 


'  Read  before  The  Filson  Club,  October  i,  1900. 


128  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


Morgan  as  one  of  her  sons,  despite  his  objection  to 
being  thus  classed.  Although  the  major  part  of  this 
artist's  hfe  was  given  to  Kentucky,  he  was  always  loyal 
in  his  allegiance  to  his  native  State.  This  was  in  a  large 
measure  due  to  his  anti-slavery  principles.  Being  a  native 
of  a  free  State,  his  environments  and  youthful  training 
were  so  much  in  opposition  to  the  institution  that  he 
never  became  reconciled  to  its  existence. 

He  was  born  in  Mount  Pleasant,  Westmoreland  County, 
Pennsylvania,  on  the  twenty-first  day  of  November,  1814. 
As  no  family  record  was  preserved,  there  is  but  little 
knowledge  as  to  his  parentage,  and  the  little  known  is 
traditional.  His  mother  was  the  only  member  of  his 
family  of  whom  he  was  wont  to  speak. 

He  was  ever  fond  of  referring  to  his  mother,  and  in 
the  most  tender  and  affectionate  terms.  He  not  infre- 
quently spoke  with  tears  in  his  eyes  of  the  bad  treatment 
his  mother  received  at  his  hands  in  his  youthful  days, 
confessing  that  he  did  not  recognize  her  right  to  require 
obedience,  and  that  he  presumed  too  much  on  her 
amiable  disposition.  The  sowing  of  his  wild  oats  before 
he  had  reached  his  majority  was  not  deemed  a  sufficient 
atonement  to  satisfy  his  much  -  disturbed  conscience,  and 
it  was  a  source  of  deep  regret  to  him  that  she  did  not 
live  long  enough  to  witness  his  reformation. 


Loiiis  Morgan 


129 


It  is  natural  to  presume  that  if  his  father  had  apphed 
the  rod  of  correction  more  vigorously  it  might  have  saved 
the  mother  much  anguish  of  spirit  and  anxiety  for  the 
future  of  her  wayward  boy,  and  him  the  pungent  remorse 
of  after  years. 

After  all,  he  never  admitted  that  he  was  the  worst  of 
boys  —  a  terror  to  the  neighborhood.  The  truth  is,  he 
was  not  as  good  as  Oliver  Twist  nor  as  bad  as  the 
more  modern  Tom  Sawyer.  His  badness  was  not  of  the 
malicious  type,  being  more  of  omission  than  commission. 

The  commendable  efforts  in  charcoal  and  chalk  by  the 
juvenile  artist  proved  rather  an  annoyance  than  a  gratifi- 
cation to  his  mother,  for  the  reason  that  they  caused  a 
diversion  from  the  task  assigned  him  at  home  and  in 
school.  The  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  parents  and 
teacher  to  apply  the  brake  to  the  excessive  indulgence  of 
this  propensity  developed  in  him  a  sullen  opposition. 

An  additional  cause  for  his  mother's  dissatisfaction  was 
the  use  of  the  walls  and  fences  of  the  residence  for  the 
exhibition  of  his  precocious  talent,  and  the  more  she 
would  protest,  the  more  grotesque  would  be  the  figures. 
And  in  illuminating  the  engravings  in  the  family  books 
with  colored  crayon  he  never  waited  for  a  commission, 
but  his  performances  were  gratuitous.  In  her  extremity 
a  friend  came  to  her  relief  by  furnishing  her  incorrigible 


1 30  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


boy  canvas  and  a  few  colors  and  brushes.  As  the  canvas 
proved  a  better  surface  for  his  labors,  he  gave  the  walls 
and  fences  a  rest,  and  the  book  illustrations  he  ceased 
to  embellish. 

Lest,  from  the  preceding  account  of  the  conduct  of 
young  Louis,  the  impression  has  been  made  on  the  mind 
of  the  reader  that  the  occasional  disobedience  amounted 
to  rebellion  to  parental  authority  by  refusing  to  do  manual 
service  when  commanded  and  to  perform  tasks  required 
by  his  school-master,  it  is  but  just  to  say  he  did  what 
he  was  directed  to  do  both  at  home  and  at  school,  but 
not  with  alacrity. 

Had  he,  in  addition  to  the  regular  domestic  duties, 
been  left  in  charge  of  a  little  baby  sister  while  his  mother 
had  gone  a-shopping,  and  in  her  absence  had  drawn  a 
picture  of  the  little  innocent  while  asleep,  as  did  the  boy 
Benjamin  West,  his  mother  might  have  had  a  better 
appreciation  of  his  genius,  and,  therefore,  been  more 
patient  with  him. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  part  of  his  time  during 
school  hours  was  given  to  sketching,  he  was  never  behind 
in  his  lessons,  and  at  the  end  of  the  term  he  received 
favorable  reports  of  his  standing  in  his  studies. 

His  scholastic  advantages  were  not  of  the  highest 
order,  though  the  best  that  his  parents'  limited  circum- 


Louis  Morgan 


stances  would  justify.  Small  as  his  opportunities  were  in 
acquiring  a  classical  education,  he,  however,  expressed 
regret  in  mature  years  that  he  did  not  diligently  improve 
the  time.  It  was,  nevertheless,  comforting  to  him  that 
what  he  lacked  in  academic  acquirements  he  supplied  by 
literary  capital  gained  in  his  bachelor  days. 

The  Bible  and  Shakespeare  were  his  favorite  books, 
and  from  the  latter  he  could  repeat  from  memory  passage 
after  passage  with  much  dramatic  effect. 

It  was  the  opinion  of  those  competent  to  judge,  that, 
had  the  bent  of  his  ambition  been  directed  to  the  stage, 
he  would  have  made  as  great  a  success  as  he  did  in  the 
one  of  the  triple  sisters  of  fine  arts  that  he  chose  for  his 
profession.  Besides  his  elocutionary  powers,  his  fine 
volume  and  flexibility  of  voice  made  it  possible. 

The  same  might  have  been  as  truly  said  of  his  success 
in  music  had  his  ear  been  cultivated.  His  musical  talents 
were  more  especially  made  manifest  by  his  superior  whist- 
ling powers.  This  accomplishment  proved  a  great  help 
to  him  when  he  had  children  as  sitters,  as  he  could 
better  engage  their  attention  and  thereby  secure  their 
happiest  expression.  The  perfect  imitation  of  the  mock- 
ing-bird, its  trills  and  warbles,  never  failed  to  delight  them. 

When  alone  in  his  studio  at  work  he  would  frequently 
be  heard   from  without   exercising   this  power,  and  the 


i32  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Binegrass 


occasion  for  it  would  be  when  he  had  accomphshed  a 
satisfactory  efifect  in  color. 

The  closing  of  school  days  was  then,  as  it  is  now,  an 
important  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  young  man  —  it 
being  the  transition  from  youth  to  manhood.  The  free- 
dom from  the  restraints  of  the  school-room  would  soon 
be  followed  by  emancipation  from  parental  authority.  To 
launch  thus  his  boat  in  the  voyage  of  life,  exposed  to 
perilous  rocks  and  breakers,  is  a  serious  occasion  with 
most  young  men.  The  choice  of  a  trade  or  profession 
by  which  to  maintain  a  livelihood  is  a  difficulty  that 
meets  him  at  the  threshold.  But  not  so  with  young 
Morgan.  Nature,  as  he  believed,  had  chosen  a  profession 
for  him.    She  had  instructed  him  to  be  a  painter. 

It  is  decidedly  advantageous  to  one's  success  in  life 
when  the  road  to  it  is  pointed  out  by  the  hand  of  nature. 
Adapted  to  the  pursuit  in  life  of  one's  adoption,  its  pros- 
ecution is  less  difficult.  The  mountains  of  difficulties  are 
to  be  made  low  and  the  crooked  paths  straight.  The 
love  of  the  true  painter  and  musician  for  their  respective 
professions  makes  the  practice  of  them  pleasurable  pas- 
time. The  painter  who  loves  his  profession  experiences 
as  much  pleasure  during  the  progress  of  his  work  as  the 
money  paid  for  it  when  accomplished  will  yield  him, 
"filthy  lucre"  being  of  secondary  importance. 


Louis  Morgan 


While  only  a  banker,  or  one  with  a  big  bank  account, 
can  be  a  patron  of  the  best  of  this  profession,  yet  the 
artist's  advice  is  never  asked  on  questions  of  finance,  nor 
is  he  ever  recommended  for  the  position  of  bank  director. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morgan  removed  to  Pittsburgh,  Pennsyl- 
vania, taking  their  son  Louis,  then  about  sixteen  years 
of  age,  with  them.  The  boy  was  at  once  placed  in 
charge  of  a  chair  painter  as  an  apprentice,  and  in  a  short 
time  acquired  such  a  proficiency  in  this  trade  that  he 
was  required  to  do  all  the  ornamentation. 

Mr.  William  Wall,  who  was  a  wood-carver  of  the  same 
city,  and  who  was  educated  at  Oxford,  England,  made 
the  acquaintance  of  young  Morgan,  and  was  so  much 
impressed  with  his  talents  that  he  had  great  influence 
over  him  during  the  early  steps  of  his  career.  He  was 
quite  competent  to  appreciate  the  worth  of  the  young 
painter,  as  he  himself  had  in  England,  his  native  country, 
become  acquainted  with  the  best  English  artists  and  their 
productions.  Morgan  did  not  hesitate  to  take  his  advice, 
but  at  the  very  beginning  was  confronted  with  obstacles, 
for  there  were  no  art  schools  in  Pittsburgh  nor  any  local 
artist  to  go  to  for  instruction  ( it  had  at  that  time  a  pop- 
ulation of  only  twenty  thousand ),  and  it  was  only  from 
occasional  visits  of  foreign  painters  that  he  could  get  any 
aid.     Therefore  he  was  compelled  to  depend  upon  his 


134  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 

own  natural  resources  in  the  development  of  his  genius. 
These  visiting  artists  in  the  inspection  of  his  efforts 
were  so  highly  commendatory  that  it  was  not  long  before 
there  was  a  demand  for  his  portraits. 

About  the  age  of  twenty  his  reputation  was  not  limited 
to  Pittsburgh,  for  a  portrait  by  him  exhibited  in  Phila- 
delphia brought  him  to  the  attention  of  the  publishers 
of  the  work  entitled  ' '  National  Portrait  Gallery, "  and  so 
much  were  the  publishers  pleased  with  his  work  that  they 
commissioned  him  to  proceed  to  Ohio  to  paint  a  portrait 
of  Simon  Kenton,  the  pioneer  and  adventurer.  He  found 
Kenton  at  his  humble  home,  and  on  making  known  to 
him  the  object  of  his  visit,  he  at  once  consented  to  give 
the  artist  the  necessary  sittings.  Morgan  became  so 
greatly  enthused  by  the  strong  features  and  healthy  com- 
plexion of  his  subject  that  in  a  week  or  two  he  made  a 
perfect  counterpart  of  his  patient  sitter.  As  it  was  in 
the  winter  time,  he  represented  him  holding  an  old  broom 
handle  burnt  at  one  end,  occasioned  by  using  it  to  stir 
up  the  big  log  fire.  During  his  sittings  the  old  pioneer 
was  so  much  interested  in  narrating  his  marvelous 
adventures  among  the  redskins  of  Kentucky  and  Ohio 
( especially  the  thirteen  times  he  was  forced  to  run  the 
gauntlet  when  a  prisoner  of  the  Indians  )  that  the  painter 
had  not  the  usual  difficult  task  of  trying  to  entertain  the 


Lotus  Morgan 


135 


sitter  while  he  painted.  He  was  only  a  listener  while  he 
portrayed  on  canvas  the  original.  After  the  work  was 
completed  it  was  boxed  and  sent  to  the  publishers  at 
Philadelphia.  They  were  so  delighted  with  the  painting 
that  they  at  once  had  it  engraved  by  R.  W.  Hodson. 
After  the  engraver  had  completed  the  copy  it  was  sent 
to  an  art  exhibition  in  the  Academy  of  Fine  Arts.  On 
hanging  day  the  painting,  being  by  a  wholly  unknown 
artist,  was  "skyed. "  When  the  exhibition  was  opened 
to  artists  and  judges,  a  Mr.  Darley,  one  of  the  recognized 
artists  of  the  time,  in  examining  the  collection  caught 
sight  of  Mr.  Morgan's  picture.  He  sent  to  those  in 
charge,  told  them  of  the  impression  it  made  on  him- 
self, and  insisted  that  it  be  put  at  such  a  height  as 
would  reveal  its  merits.  When  it  was  so  placed  it 
was  at  once  adjudged  to  be  the  painting  of  the  whole 
exhibition.  This  at  once  brought  him  into  great  favor 
with  the  Philadelphia  artists. 

The  portrait  is  now  in  the  possession  of  the  family  of 
the  late  James  B.  Yenocre,  of  Philadelphia. 

Morgan,  before  giving  up  his  subject,  painted  a  portrait 
of  him  for  his  own  studio.  After  taking  leave  of  Kenton 
he  went  to  Louisville,  at  which  place  he  opened  a  studio, 
and  the  portrait  of  Kenton,  which  he  placed  on  exhibi- 
tion, so  soon  brought  him  into  the  notice  of  the  citizens 


136 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


that  he  did  not  have  to  wait  long  for  orders.  In  this 
city  he  remained  for  a  year  or  more  painting  some  of 
the  prominent  famihes  of  the  place.  Among  his  patrons 
were  the  Bullocks  and  Joyeses,  which  portraits  are  yet  in 
the  possession  of  the  respective  famihes.  The  best 
example  of  his  skill  in  child  portraiture,  in  which  he  was 
peculiarly  happy,  is  a  three-quarter-length  figure  of  Mr. 
Patrick  Joyes  when  but  nine  years  of  age,  which  is  now 
in  the  possession  of  the  original. 

From  Louisville  he  went  to  Frankfort,  Kentucky,  and 
was  there  engaged  in  painting  for  several  months.  His 
work  was  so  much  in  demand  in  that  part  of  the  State 
that  he  was  invited  by  the  late  Reverend  R.  J.  Breck- 
inridge, then  pastor  of  Mount  Horeb  Church,  in  Fayette 
County,  to  paint  his  portrait  and  the  members  of  his 
famil}'.  After  this  commission  was  completed  he  was 
engaged  to  paint  the  portraits  of  Mr.  David  Castleman 
and  family  in  the  same  neighborhood,  and  among  the 
number  was  a  portrait  of  General  John  B.  Castleman 
when  a  child. 

The  desire  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  this  beautiful 
bluegrass  section  to  possess  the  work  of  this  artist  almost 
assumed  the  proportions  of  an  epidemic,  and  it  was  with 
some  impatience  that  the  neighboring  planters  waited 
their  turn  to  secure  his  services.     When  he  received  an 


Reverend  WILLIAM   L.  BRECKINRIDGE,  D.  D. 

Painted  by  Louis  Morgan. 


Louis  Morgan 


137 


order  he  would  go  to  the  residence  of  the  one  to  be 
put  on  canvas,  and  never  was  in  haste  to  get  through 
with  his  commission  ;  he  would  labor  for  weeks  on  the 
subject,  and,  if  it  did  not  suit  him,  would  cast  the 
production  aside  and  begin  again.  This  would  often 
be  repeated  several  times  before  he  was  satisfied  with 
the  result. 

Hope  was  an  important  factor  in  the  mental  structure 
of  Morgan.  It  was  not  only  a  support  to  him  in  failure 
but  a  stimulus  to  greater  efforts  —  an  ignis  fahius  that 
led  him  through  a  slough  of  disappointments.  On  meet- 
ing him  on  Main  Street,  in  Lexington,  Kentucky,  on  one 
occasion  just  as  he  had  purchased  a  supply  of  brushes, 
he  remarked  to  the  author  after  his  usual  cordial  saluta- 
tion :  "Price,  I  hold  in  my  hand  mstruments  to  immortal 
fame."  While  this  faculty  of  mind  was  a  controlling 
factor  in  his  profession,  it  failed  in  a  love  affair  which 
will  appear  later  on. 

As  he  was  a  fine  conversationalist,  genial  and  easy  in 
manner,  it  was  regarded  as  a  privilege  to  have  him  in 
the  home.  This  peculiar  disposition  was  made  more 
manifest   when  employed  to  paint   the  family  of  Mrs. 

D  ,  a  widow,  who  lived  on  her  farm  in  the  vicinity 

of  Mount  Horeb  Church.  Morgan  was  two  or  three 
years  in  the  execution  of  six  or  seven  portraits.  This 


1 3^  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bhiegrass 


tardiness  was  perhaps  attributable  to  his  having  fallen  a 
victim  to  the  charms  of  one  of  her  daughters  just  emerged 
from  her  teens,  rather  than  to  fastidiousness  on  his  part 
in  the  treatment  of  his  work.  When  it  became  her  turn 
to  sit  for  the  young  and  accomplished  artist  he  required 
more  sittings  than  usual,  and  each  sitting  was  more  pro- 
tracted than  was  necessary  in  the  painting  of  the  other 
members  of  the  family.  Being  unsuccessful  in  satisfac- 
torily portraying  on  canvas  the  beauty  of  her  face  after 
many  days'  sittings,  he  would  take  up  a  new  canvas  and 
begin  the  work  over  again,  to  the  great  weariness  of  his 
subject.     So   much  did  he  become  enamored  of  Miss 

D          that  he  began  to   be  suspicious  of    the  designs 

of  her  other  male  admirers  —  for  she  had  many  —  and  it 
so  excited  his  jealousy  that  he  would  hardly  treat  them 
with  common  civility  when  in  their  company.  He  was 
not  slow  to  express  to  her  his  suspicions  and  disapproval 
of  the  favor  shown  to  his  rivals.  This  finally  became 
intolerable  to  the  young  lady  when  on  one  occasion  he 
remonstrated  with  much  emphasis  in  regard  to  the  favor 
given  to  a  young  gentleman  who  was  successful  in  win- 
ning her  hand.  She  firmly  resented  his  interference, 
which  resulted  in  his  departure  from  her  home,  even  in 
his  leaving  Kentucky  for  his  brother's  farm  in  Mont- 
gomery County,  Tennessee. 


Loins  Morgan 


139 


To  his  credit  it  may  be  said  that  his  disappointment 
in  not  winning  the  much-coveted  prize  did  not  cause  him 
to  inflict  corporal  punishment  on  his  successful  rival,  as 
did  his  sitter,  Simon  Kenton,  to  his  competitor  in  a  court- 
ship before  he  fled  for  the  wilds  of  Kentucky.  But  he 
was  less  philosophical  in  the  rejection,  for,  if  rumor  is  to 
be  relied  upon,  in  a  short  time  after  he  arrived  in  Mont- 
gomery County,  Tennessee,  he  died  of  a  broken  heart, 
and  was  buried  on  his  brother's  farm.  This  was  in  the 
fall  of  1852. 

The  verses  by  Sir  Walter  Scott,  written  after  his 
failure  to  secure  the  hand  of  Lady  Wilhelmina  Stewart 
Forbes,  might  be  applicable  to  poor  Morgan  : 

Toll  the  bell  ;  greatness  is  o'er  ; 
The  heart  is  broke  to  ache  no  more. 
An  unsubstantial  pageant  all  ! 
Drop  o'er  the  scene  the  funeral  pall. 

Other  examples  might  be  given  where  bachelor  artists 
had  similar  experiences  to  that  of  Morgan  but  had  the 
manhood  to  brave  their  disappointment.  Sir  Joshua 
Reynolds  was  the  champion  of  Angelica  Kaufman  even 
after  he  was  a  rejected  suitor.  Then  the  love  experiences 
of  Michael  Angelo  might  be  given  as  a  striking  example 
of  heroic  resignation.  In  the  failure  to  win  the  heart  of 
the  noble  and  beautiful  Princess  Vittoria  Colonna  he  was 


I40  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


not  driven  into  the  slough  of  despond,  but  found  solace 
in  the  fact  of  her  loyalty  to  the  memory  of  her  much- 
lamented  husband,  which  proved  a  barrier  against  the 
importunities  of  other  lovers. 

Morgan  might  truly  be  said  to  have  been  a  child 
of  nature,  and  no  living  artist  was  more  thoroughly 
original ;  the  inspiration  is  all  his  own.  He  was  almost 
a  self-taught  painter,  followed  no  master  and  led  no 
school. 

As  in  other  professions  such  geniuses  owe  their  suc- 
cess in  their  respective  callings  to  their  own  unaided 
study,  so  many  examples  in  art  might  be  given  of 
this  fact  here  in  America.  Among  the  most  striking 
illustrations  of  artists  who  rose  to  great  prominence  are 
Charles  Elliott,  of  New  York  City,  a  portrait  painter, 
and  in  landscape  painting,  L.  F.  Church,  of  the  same 
city,  who  still  lives;  "the  painter  of  those  strange  com- 
positions where  the  birds  of  the  air  and  the  beasts  of 
the  field  bow  to  the  spell  of  some  pure  and  graceful 
type  of  maidenhood." 

Raphael  and  Michael  Angelo  rose  superior  to  their 
opportunities  and  environments,  in  that  their  individu- 
ality was  preserved.  Ruskin's  advice  to  art  students 
when  visiting  Rome  was  not  to  copy  Raphael,  but  to 
study  what  he  had  studied.     To   this   excellent  advice 


Louis  Morgan 


might  be  supplemented  admonitions  to  the  student  not 
to  substitute  for  his  own  style,  if  one  is  formed,  that 
of  another,  however  superior  to  his  own,  for  so  doing 
will  be  at  the  expense  of  freedom  of  touch  and  a 
sacrifice  of  characteristic  treatment.  The  writer  could 
mention  three  Kentucky  artists  whose  canvases  after 
their  return  from  their  study  abroad  painfully  revealed 
a  retrogression  on  this  account.  That  self-taught  painters 
have  risen  to  distinction  is  not  an  argument  against 
art  academies,  any  more  than  it  is  against  institutions 
of  learning  that  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Dwight  Moody, 
one  a  statesman  and  the  other  an  evangelist,  rose  to 
distinction  independent  of  collegiate  training.  Art  acad- 
emies have  their  advantages,  in  as  much  as  they  give 
the  experience  of  the  teacher  in  methods  which,  without 
instruction,  the  student  would  have  to  acquire  by 
experiment  ;  thereby  treading  over  the  same  path  their 
preceptor  had  traveled,  besides  the  advantages  of  con- 
tact with  other  students,  and  the  consequent  rivalry 
which  should  not  be  undervalued. 

Morgan,  like  Elliott  and  Church,  had  a  wonderful 
instinctive  knowledge  of  the  complement  of  colors  and 
their  relative  values,  consequently  a  perfect  balance  was 
preserved,  however  opposite  were  the  pigments.  By 
this  means  harmony  was  always  maintained,  resulting  in 


142  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


perfect  tone.  This  power  enabled  him  to  give  a  strong 
and  vigorous  touch  with  a  loaded  brush.  His  natural 
feeling  for  color  not  infrequently  proved  a  detriment  to 
good  drawing  ;  for,  having  accomplished  a  pleasing  effect 
in  color,  he  would  not  correct  bad  drawing  lest  the 
harmony  and  transparency  of  the  coloring  be  impaired. 
Had  he  had  the  advantages  of  early  training  at  the  best 
art  schools,  he  would  have  been  taught  that  correct 
drawing  was  of  primary  importance.  The  majority  of 
Morgan's  heads,  however,  show  that  he  was  by  no 
means  a  deficient  draftsman.  He  would  sit  down  to 
his  easel  at  the  beginning  of  each  day's  work  with  no 
set  palette,  preferring  to  make  the  combination  of  color 
suggested  by  nature.  His  manipulation  of  pigments  and 
the  application  of  them  to  canvas  was  largely  a  matter 
of  inspiration.  He  was  hardly  ever  able  to  give  an 
intelligent  answer  when  asked  how  he  produced  a 
certain  happy  effect  of  color. 

When  asked  on  one  occasion  by  a  young  mechanical 
portrait  painter  how  he  produced  a  very  pleasing  result 
of  color  in  a  picture  just  completed,  his  characteristic 
but  laconic  reply  was:  "Linseed  oil  and  brains,  sir." 
To  this  would  -  be  painter  Morgan,  on  a  subsequent 
occasion,  gave  an  object-lesson  to  show  that  material 
had    but    little    value    when    one    possessed    not  the 


Louis  Morgan 


143 


knowledge  of  its  application.  This  was  when  he  joined 
Morgan  and  the  writer  one  summer  afternoon  at  Lex- 
ington, Kentucky,  in  a  walk.  After  the  young  painter 
had  eloquently  discussed  the  merits  of  palettes  to  the 
disgust  of  Morgan,  the  latter  took  the  brush  from  the 
hands  of  an  old  colored  man,  who  was  engaged  in 
whitewashing  a  solid  plank  fence,  and,  dipping  it  into 
the  bucket  of  whitewash,  applied  it  to  that  part  of  the 
fence  which  the  darky  had  not  touched,  and  in  a  short 
time  produced  a  picture  of  a  water  mill  and  dam. 
Having  accomplished  his  work,  he  took  hold  of  the 
young  man  (who  was  of  diminutive  size)  by  the  coat 
collar,  and,  jerking  him  back  about  ten  or  twelve  feet, 
asked  him:  "What  is  that,  sir?"  The  reply  was: 
"Mill  and  mill  dam."  Then  the  painter  replied: 
' '  Do  n't  say  any  thing  more  to  me  about  the  setting 
of  palettes."  Had  the  young  interrogator  been  encour- 
aged to  ask  other  questions,  he  would  have  perhaps 
inquired  of  Morgan  how  he  was  enabled,  in  his  breadth  of 
treatment,  to  give  at  the  same  time  the  detail  necessary 
to  perfect  modeling  which  his  pictures  always  possessed. 

It  is  related  of  Michael  Angelo  that  on  an  especial 
occasion,  when  discussing  art  with  a  few  Florentine 
friends,  he  remarked  that  the  hand  of  genius  was  not 
dependent    on    the    quality    of    material    used   in  the 


t44         The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


production  of  the  work  of  art.  The  earth  being  at 
this  time  covered  with  snow,  the  great  sculptor  pro- 
posed to  demonstrate  the  truth  of  his  declaration  by 
erecting  a  colossal  statue  in  the  court  -  yard  of  his 
friend,  Buonarroti  using  snow  as  his  material.  The 
work  was,  with  great  energy,  at  once  begun,  and  in 
an  incredibly  short  time  was  completed.  Scarcely  had 
the  finishing  touches  been  given  when  the  inhabitants 
of  Florence  flocked  to  behold  this  novel  but  masterly 
creation.  Though  a  ' '  thing  of  beauty, "  it  could  not 
be  called  a  "joy  forever,"  for  after  the  third  day  its 
symmetrical  proportions  were  compelled  to  yield  to  the 
soluble  influences  without. 

In  personal  appearance  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
bore  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  late  Judge  Aaron 
K.  Woolley,  a  leading  member  of  the  Lexington  bar. 
He  was  as  erect,  though  slightly  taller,  and  a  few 
pounds  heavier ;  his  complexion  and  eyes  being  dark, 
and  his  hair  black  and  long.  His  demeanor,  like  Judge 
Woolley 's,  was  dignified  and  his  movements  graceful. 

May  the  plowshare  of  the  husbandman  never  make 
level  the  mound  beneath  which  the  ashes  of  Morgan 
lie,  lest  the  hand  of  affection  and  esteem  may  not  be 
able  to  know  the  spot  where  to  occasionally  drop  a 
flower,  is  the  sincere  prayer  of  the  author. 


Joel  T.  Hart 


Introduction 


THE  morning  of  the  fourteenth  of  May,  1897,  was  a 
sad  day  for  the  citizens  of  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
because  of  the  burning  of  their  costly  court- 
house. And,  indeed,  for  our  whole  country,  when  the 
lifework  of  Joel  T.  Hart,  "Woman  Triumphant," 
succumbed  to  the  merciless  elements  —  fire  and  water. 
At  the  moment  when  the  startling  cry,  "The  court- 
house is  burning  !  "  was  given,  Mr.  Edmond  Shelby 
had  finished  reading  to  the  writer  a  chapter  of 
romance  from  the  life  of  Hart.  The  first  impulse 
of  the  listener  was  to  exclaim,  "Oh,  that  statue!" 
In  the  estimation  of  the  public  the  destruction  of 
invaluable  records  was  of  secondary  importance  to  the 
loss  of  this  beautiful  art  treasure,  and  but  for  the 
belief  that  the  original  mould  of  the  model  had  been 
preserved  their  grief  would  have  been  irreconcilable. 

The  association  of  ladies  at  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
whose  President  was  Mrs.  W.  C.  P.  Breckinridge  {nee 
Desha),   deceased,   purchased  for  the  small  sum  of  five 


148 


Introduction 


thousand  dollars  from  Tiffany  &  Company,  of  New  York, 
his  last  and  great  composition,  for  which  the  sculptor 
himself  had  refused  twenty  thousand  dollars  while  it 
was  yet  in  clay.  But,  unfortunately,  he  died  before 
giving  the  finishing  touches  to  his  model,  and,  in 
consequence,  the  completion  of  it  was  left  to  Saul, 
an  English  sculptor,  who  was  his  pupil  and  executor. 

It  is  of  doubtful  propriety  that  the  Temple  of  Justice 
was  in  the  first  place  chosen  for  the  permanent  abode  of 
this  priceless  production.  To  have  made  it  appropriate, 
a  statue  of  the  Goddess  of  Justice,  its  complement, 
should  have  been  placed  near  it  in  order  to  combine 
the  twin  qualities,  love  and  justice  —  the  two  great 
attributes  of  man's  divine  Creator. 

Mrs.  Eliza  B.  Woodward,  one  of  Lexington's  oldest 
and  most  honored  residents,  recently  deceased,  so 
admired  and  valued  this  statue  that  she  objected  to 
its  being  placed  in  the  court-house,  and,  in  her  large- 
hearted  philanthropy,  offered  to  build  a  fire  -  proof  annex 
to  the  City  Library,  which  offer  was  unfortunately  not 
accepted. 


JOEL  T.  HART. 

Pliotogiaphed  from  life. 


Joel  T.  Hart 


GENIUS,  impelled  by  the  motor  power  of  ambition, 
overcomes  all  difficulties  in  its  progress,  as  the 
locomotive  impelled  by  steam   power  overcomes 
with   lightning   speed    the    natural    laws   of  resistance, 
friction,  and  gravitation.    Thus  it  was  with  Hart  as  he 
scaled  alone  and  unaided  the  rugged  heights  of  art. 

The  true  saying  that  a  poet  is  born,  not  made,  is 
applicable  to  the  sculptor,  and  not  a  more  striking 
example  of  this  truth  could  be  found  than  the  subject 
of  this  sketch.  Born  and  reared  in  the  primitive  days 
of  his  State,  and  not  many  years  after  it  had  emerged 
from  its  swaddling  -  clothes,  his  native  genius  began  to 
assert  itself,  and  without  instruction  and  without  art 
surroundings  he  overcame  all  obstacles,  reaching  the 
highest  prominence  in  his  profession,  not  surpassed  by 
the  Grecian  or  the  Roman  sculptors  of  the  ancient,  the 
medieval,  or  the  modern  age. 

Joel  Tanner  Hart  was  born  in  Clark  County,  Ken- 
tucky, not   far  from  Winchester,  on   the  tenth   day  of 

'  Read  before  The  Filson  Club,  June  7,  1897. 


1 50  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bhtegvass 


February,  18 10.  His  father,  Josiah  Hart,  a  pioneer 
of  Kentucky,  began  life  as  a  civil  surveyor,  in  which 
occupation  he  attained  great  proficiency,  and  found  it 
to  be  fairly  remunerative,  and  on  account  of  his  high 
character,  integrity,  sobriety,  and  intelligence  great  con- 
fidence was  placed  in  him  by  his  associates.  He 
assisted  in  the  erection  of  one  of  the  block  -  houses  built 
to  resist  the  incursions  of  the  Indians ;  he  constructed 
the  first  flatboat  for  the  transportation  of  the  produce 
of  the  farmers  in  his  part  of  the  State  ;  but  his  most 
important  work  consisted  in  aiding  to  construct  the  iron- 
works on  Slate  Creek. 

Josiah  Hart  received  from  his  father  eight  hundred 
acres  of  land,  embracing  the  present  site  of  Winchester 
and  lying  north  of  the  Chesapeake  &  Ohio  Railway, 
awarded  him  for  military  service.  Owing  to  his  over- 
confidence  in  the  integrity  of  an  agent  who  superintended 
the  shipment  of  produce  to  New  Orleans,  he  was  soon 
brought  to  financial  ruin. 

The  adversity  of  fortune  made  it  impossible  for  the 
parents  of  Joel  to  give  him  a  liberal  education.  The 
advantage  of  three  months'  schooling  was  all  he  obtained, 
but  at  night  he  diligently  studied  the  English  rudiments, 
assisted  by  his  brothers,  who  had  previously  acquired  a 
scholastic   education.     So   great  was   his   progress  that 


Joel  T.  Hart 


before  he  had  emerged  from  his  teens  he  was  enabled 
to  teach  grammar,  rhetoric,  and  mathematics. 

Judith  Tanner,  the  mother  of  Joel,  had  great  strength 
of  mind  and  the  best  mental  training  her  opportunities 
afforded,  and,  withal,  deep  piety.  She  sustained  the  noble 
qualities  of  her  Virginia  ancestors.  As  an  instance  of 
her  strength  of  character  and  Christian  conscientiousness, 
she  would  not  retain  in  servitude  the  slaves  inherited 
from  her  mother.  These  sterling  attributes  were  imme- 
diately traceable  to  her  mother,  who,  on  account  of  her 
dignity  of  deportment,  was  known  by  the  sobriquet  of 
"Lady  Tanner."  It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  then, 
that  the  gifted  son  of  Judith  Tanner  should  commence 
his  career  with  a  proper  impulse  of  his  duty  toward 
God  and  his  fellow  -  men. 

His  proclivities  for  sculpture  were  early  developed. 
When  at  the  age  of  five  or  six  he  would  occupy  parts 
of  each  day  in  modeling  with  his  fingers  animals  in 
clay,  and,  for  one  of  his  age,  succeeded  astonishingly 
well  in  giving  the  anatomy  of  a  horse.  So  alluring 
was  this  occupation  to  him  that  his  boy  companions 
could  scarcely  get  him  to  join  them  in  games  of 
marbles  or  ball.  Later  on  he  moulded  a  button  out 
of  pewter ;  following  this,  he  cut  and  carved  in  wood 
a   beautiful  rolling-pin,  which  is  still  treasured   in  his 


152  The  Old  Masters  of  the  BluegrasS 


brother's  family.  This  course  was  pursued  until  he 
was  sufficiently  grown  to  help  provide  subsistence  for 
the  family,  especially  as  it  was  necessary,  since  his 
father  had  been  rendered  a  cripple  by  a  fall.  A 
neighbor  of  his  father,  Philip  B.  Winn,  an  architect 
by  profession,  gave  young  Hart  access  to  his  works  on 
architecture  and  sculpture,  the  study  of  which  stimu- 
lated his  ambition  to  become  a  sculptor.  Not  being 
able  to  find  lucrative  employment  in  his  own  county, 
he  went  to  Bourbon  County  in  search  of  work.  He 
was  there  employed  in  building  stone  fences  and  chim- 
neys ;  his  nights  were  spent  in  reading  books  which 
he  borrowed  from  the  farmers  who  employed  him. 

When  he  had  reached  his  majority  he  left  Bourbon 
County  for  Lexington,  where  he  found  employment  in 
Pruden's  marble -yard.  This  occupation  was  more  after 
his  taste,  as  it  was  a  step  to  a  higher  work  in  art. 
His  skill  with  the  chisel  and  mallet  was  soon  recognized 
by  his  employer,  and  in  consequence  he  was  assigned 
to  the  ornamentation  of  headstones  and  monuments. 
While  thus  engaged  good  fortune  seemed  to  smile  upon 
him,  as  he  was  thus  afforded  an  opportunity  for  the 
first  time  of  forming  the  acquaintance  of  a  young 
sculptor,  who  was  two  years  his  junior.  This  person 
was  Schobal  Vail  Clevenger,  of  Cincinnati,  whose  mission 


Joel  T.  Hart 


153 


to  Lexington  was  to  model  a  bust  of  the  Honorable 
Henry  Clay.  The  progress  of  this  work  Hart  was 
permitted  to  witness,  and  so  delighted  was  he  with 
the  performance  that,  with  the  encouragement  given 
him  by  the  visiting  sculptor,  he  determined  to  under- 
take to  model  in  clay  a  bust  from  life.  He  chose  for 
his  subject  General  Cassius  M.  Clay,  who  afterward 
became  a  courageous  champion  of  human  liberty.  Mr. 
Clay,  desiring  to  encourage  this  would  -  be  sculptor, 
cheerfully  consented  to  give  him  the  necessary  sittings. 

This  maiden  effort  of  Hart  was  quite  a  success,  as 
it  elicited  high  and  flattering  criticisms  from  Oliver 
Frazer,  the  noted  portrait  painter,  and  his  life  -  long 
friend,  Mr.  John  S.  Wilson,  the  Lexington  druggist. 
It  proved  an  epoch  in  the  art  circle  of  Lexington 
because  of  its  novelty.  Connoisseurs  were  made  to 
realize  that  sculptors  as  well  as  painters  could  be 
produced  in  the  Bluegrass  region.  Even  the  unculti- 
vated in  plastic  art  beheld  this  work  with  wonder  and 
admiration,  as  they  believed  it  to  be  a  greater  achieve- 
ment to  chisel  the  head  and  features  in  marble  than 
to  portray  them  on  canvas,  ignorant  of  the  fact  that 
greater  skill  is  necessary  in  the  painting  of  a  face  and 
figure,  as  it  combines  not  only  form  and  coloring, 
but   lineal  and  aerial  perspective.     In  sculpture,  form, 


154  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


proportion,  and  character  are  the  only  essential  qualifi- 
cations. This,  however,  is  not  a  detraction  from  the 
merits  of  a  sculptor,  for  he  must  not  only  observe 
form,  but  must  give  softness  to  the  flesh  and  expression 
to  the  features.  Hart  fully  appreciated  this,  as  his  first 
effort  fully  testifies.  The  bust  of  Clay  displayed  a  high 
degree  of  excellence  in  art  which  is  attained  by  others 
only  after  years  of  experience. 

Desirous  of  perpetuating  in  marble  the  features  of 
General  Andrew  Jackson,  the  hero  of  the  Battle  of 
New  Orleans,  he  visited  the  Hermitage  and  obtained  the 
consent  of  the  General  for  the  required  sittings.  This 
work  so  much  pleased  his  sitter  that  he  commissioned 
the  sculptor  to  execute  it  in  marble  at  a  remunerative 
price.  On  returning  to  Lexington  he  modeled  in  clay 
a  bust  of  Honorable  John  J.  Crittenden ;  following  this, 
one  of  Mr.  Robert  Wickliffe.  His  next  work  was  that 
of  Reverend  Alexander  Campbell,  the  great  divine. 

Impressed  with  the  importance  of  seeing  the  works 
of  older  sculptors,  he  visited  Philadelphia,  then  an  art 
center  of  this  country,  taking  with  him  the  bust  of 
General  Cassius  M.  Clay.  This  he  hoped  to  place  on 
exhibition  in  the  National  Academy  of  Design,  but,  to 
his  disappointment,  he  ascertained  that  it  was  too  late 
for   the  annual   exhibition.     However,  Mr.  Sartain,  the 


HART'S  STATUE  OF  HENRY  CLAY, 


Joel  T.  Hart 


155 


publisher  of  Sartain's  Magazine,  obtained  the  consent 
of  the  managers  of  the  exhibition  to  give  it  a  place, 
as  he  considered  it  a  very  meritorious  work.  The 
publisher's  representation  of  the  merits  of  the  bust  the 
artists  considered  not  overrated  ;  they  pronounced  it  a 
work  that  would  not  be  discreditable  to  the  best  modern 
sculptors  of  that  day.  After  remaining  in  Philadelphia 
a  few  weeks,  he  visited  Washington  City,  New  York, 
Baltimore,  and  Richmond,  Virginia.  After  his  return 
to  Lexington,  in  a  letter  to  his  brother  he  mentions 
having  "met  a  host  of  distinguished  men  and  of  having 
received  attention  enough  to  last  him  a  lifetime."  His 
reputation  was  now  so  extended  that  he  gained  easy 
access  to  the  prominent  men  in  art,  literature,  and 
politics.  He  visited  President  Polk,  who  showed  him 
much  kindness,  and  his  acquaintance  with  President 
John  Q.  Adams,  who  was  conversant  with  both  litera- 
ture  and  art,  Hart  often  spoke  of  with  pride. 

While  in  Richmond  he  was  commissioned  by  the 
admirers  of  Clay  to  produce  a  full  -  length  statue  of  the 
Sage  of  Ashland.  The  stipulations  were  that  he  was 
to  receive  for  the  work  five  thousand  dollars,  to  be  paid 
in  installments  —  five  hundred  dollars  on  demand,  one 
thousand  when  he  sailed  for  Italy,  and  the  remainder 
when  the  work  should  be  completed. 


156  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


In  order  to  facilitate  his  work  and  to  secure  the 
greatest  accuracy,  he  employed  a  leading  daguerreotypist 
of  Cincinnati  to  daguerreotype  Clay  from  every  point 
of  view ;  he  made  accurate  measurements  of  his  figure  ; 
in  addition  to  this,  he  made  casts  of  the  face  and  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  body.  Provided  with  the  material 
necessary,  he  began  his  model  in  clay,  having  the  original 
to  sit  from  day  to  day  until  the  work  was  completed. 
After  the  completion  of  his  model  he  made  plaster 
moulds  of  the  figure  in  sections.  To  better  accomplish 
the  work  in  marble,  he  felt  it  necessary  to  visit  Italy, 
but  was  disappointed  in  starting  on  his  journey  as  soon 
as  he  had  hoped.  It  was  not  until  September,  1849, 
that  he  set  sail  for  the  Old  World.  After  visiting 
Rome  and  Florence  he  concluded  to  locate  at  the  latter 
place,  as  he  considered  it  to  have  superior  advantages. 
On  applying  for  his  passports  he  was  informed  by  Mr. 
Clayton,  Secretary  of  State  under  President  Taylor,  that 
if  he  had  called  ten  days  sooner  he  would  have  been 
appointed  Consul  at  Rome.  This  comphment,  while  he 
fully  appreciated  it,  he  would  have,  however,  declined 
had  it  been  offered  him  in  time,  as  he  did  not  consider 
Rome  would  have  furnished  him  with  the  opportunity 
of  executing  his  work  equal  to  that  of  Florence.  Then, 
besides,   he  wished   to   give   his  undivided   attention  to 


Joel  T.  Hart 


157 


his  profession.  While  the  frescoes  in  the  Vatican  and 
Sistine  Chapel,  by  Raphael  and  Michael  Angelo,  gave 
Hart  the  keenest  pleasure,  it  was  with  rapturous  delight 
and  astonishment  that  he  beheld  the  works  in  marble 
of  Michael  Angelo.  It  was  truly  a  revelation  to  him 
that  his  conception  of  perfection  in  sculpture  fell  short 
of  the  standard.  This  was  much  to  his  discomfiture, 
for  his  path  up  to  this  time  had  been  comparatively 
smooth,  but  now  it  had  become  more  rugged ;  there- 
fore, would  he  not  be  compelled  to  redouble  his  energies 
to  reach  the  point  that  the  few  who  had  lived  in  the 
several  centuries  before  had  scaled  ?  Confidence  in  his 
power  of  application  proved  impervious  to  any  discourage- 
ment. Then,  too,  he  had  about  him  the  exhilaration 
of  rivalry.  He  took  with  him  letters  of  introduction 
to  prominent  persons  in  Italy,  but  on  account  of  his 
innate  diffidence  he  failed  to  present  them.  Among  the 
letters  was  one  from  a  Cincinnati  friend  to  the  head  of 
the  old  and  noble  family  of  Torrejano,  who  was  himself  a 
gentleman  of  culture  and  refinement.  Torrejano,  having 
heard  that  Hart  was  in  Florence  pursuing  his  studies, 
promptly  called  on  him  and  proffered  his  services.  This 
newly-made  friend,  on  learning  that  he  was  pecuniarily  em- 
barrassed on  account  of  not  receiving  the  expected  remit- 
tance from  home,  voluntarily  advanced  him  material  aid, 


15^  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


Feeling  the  importance  of  a  more  thorough  educa- 
tion in  anatomy,  which  study  he  had  begun  in  the 
Medical  College  of  Transylvania  University,  at  Lexing- 
ton, Kentucky,  he  thought  that,  before  beginning  the 
work  which  he  came  to  execute,  it  would  be  well  for 
him  to  further  pursue  this  study.  Therefore  he  went 
to  London  and  spent  fourteen  months  in  the  best  medi- 
cal college  of  that  city.  Before  returning  to  Florence 
he  visited  Paris  and  carefully  studied  the  old  masters 
in  the  Louvre,  and  also  the  works  of  the  modern 
painters.  On  his  return  to  Florence  he  heard  the  sad 
news  that  the  model  of  his  statue  of  Clay,  which  he 
had  so  carefully  packed  for  shipment,  was  lost  at  sea. 
He  would  have  been  in  utter  despair  at  this  misfortune 
had  it  not  been  for  the  knowledge  that  there  was  still 
a  dupHcate  at  Lexington.  This  he  at  once  ordered 
to  be  shipped  to  him,  but  a  year  elapsed  before  he 
received  it. 

In  addition  to  this  misfortune  he  had  an  attack  of 
cholera,  and,  after  recovering  from  this  dreadful  disease, 
he  contracted  typhoid  fever.  These  maladies  so  depleted 
his  vital  energies  that  it  was  a  long  time  before  he 
regained  his  normal  strength.  In  addition  to  his  long 
illness,  his  exchequer  was  correspondingly  reduced  to  the 
lowest  ebb.    This  was  due  to  the  failure  of  the  Virginia 


Joel  T.  Hart 


159 


society  to  send  him  the  second  installment  of  one 
thousand  dollars.  But  for  the  orders  obtained  for  busts 
he  would  have  found  it  impossible  to  remain  abroad. 
Among  these  orders  was  that  of  ex  -  President  Fillmore. 

During  his  long  illness  and  prostration  from  its  effects, 
his  mind,   however,   had  not  been  idle.     It  was  busily 
employed  on  an  invention  which  he  hoped  would  facil- 
itate  the   process   of    modeling    the   human   form  and 
thereby  bring  him   large  pecuniary  returns  by  its  sale. 
He  wrote  to  his  brother  Thomas  concerning  this  machine, 
in   1857,  as  follows:     "The  sculptor,   Powers,   and  the 
rest  of  them  in  general,  hate  it  like  the  devil,  however 
friendly  they  would  appear  towards  myself,  because  they 
see  I  can  do  three  times  as  much  work  by  its  appli- 
cation as  any  one  of  them  can  do,  and  more  perfectly  ; 
but  the  whole   troupe   in   all   this  time  have  failed  to 
break  me  down.     Their  influence  was  so  strong,  how- 
ever,  that   during   three   years  I    got  but   one  bust  to 
make,   and  have   not   yet  received  a  cent  of   the  five 
hundred   dollars  I  am  to  be  paid  for  it."     In  further 
defense  of  the  practical  use  of  this  ingenious  invention 
in  sculpture,   it   may   be   said  that   its  propriety  is  as 
reasonable  as  the  mechanical  means  used   by  many  of 
the   best   painters   in   the   outlining   of    the   head  and 
figure,  in  the  duplication  of  a  portrait  painted  by  them- 


i6o  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


selves  or  by  other  artists  (this  is  done  by  means  of 
transparent  paper  prepared  for  the  purpose ),  or,  when 
painting  a  head  from  hfe,  to  enlarge  the  features  por- 
trayed by  a  negative,  when  thrown  upon  canvas,  to  life- 
size  by  the  use  of  the  solar  camera,  and  then  traced 
by  the  artist.  The  sculptor  or  painter  should  not  be 
denied  all  credit,  as  he  has  to  give  the  life  -  like  expres- 
sion which  the  hand  of  genius  only  can  accomplish. 
This  invention  was  intended  by  its  author  principally 
to  assist  the  artisan  in  duplicating  in  marble  the  model- 
ing in  clay  by  the  sculptor  —  as  the  stone-cutter's  work 
is  purely  mechanical  —  thereby  securing,  as  Mr.  Hart 
has  stated,  a  more  perfect  copy,  the  sculptor  only  having 
to  give  to  the  cold  marble  the  breath  of  life.  In  a 
subsequent  letter  to  his  brother  he  said  that  he  "did 
not  care  for  the  money,  but  had  his  reward  in  the 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  he  had  benefited  humanity, 
in  that  he  could  copy  the  bust  executed  by  the  best  of 
ancient  sculptors  with  comparatively  little  labor,  thereby 
putting  it  in  the  power  of  persons  of  moderate  means 
to  purchase  it."  His  unselfish  motive,  which  was  so 
characteristic  of  him,  was  to  disseminate  a  greater  love 
for  art.  He  claimed  that  with  this  instrument  he  could 
complete  a  bust  in  from  three  to  six  days.  He  devoted 
much  time  in  having  his  invention  copyrighted  in  Great 


Joel  T.  Hart 


i6i 


Britain  and  P'rance  and  the  other  leading  countries  of 
Europe.  On  account  of  flattering  notices  in  the  London 
press  he  secured  commissions  for  marble  busts  of  ten  of 
the  most  prominent  citizens  of  London,  for  five  hundred 
dollars  each. 

James  Jaques  Jarvis,  of  Boston,  has  written  quite  a 
readable  book  on  "The  Art  Idea,"  in  which  he  takes 
occasion  to  refer  to  this  invention  of  Hart's  and  to  say  : 
"As  a  machine  to  reduce  sculpture  to  an  external 
accuracy  of  lines  and  dots  this  indeed  may  give  the 
crust  of  mind,  but  feeling  and  thought  depend  upon  the 
artist  himself.  No  machine  can  compensate  for  their 
absence. " 

The  statue  of  Clay  which  his  friends  authorized  Hart 
to  execute  was  not  completed  until  the  year  1859.  It 
was  then  shipped  to  Richmond,  and  now  stands  under 
canopy  in  the  Capitol  grounds.  It  received  high  com- 
mendations from  the  artists  and  sculptors  of  this  country 
and  gave  satisfaction  to  the  friends  of  the  great  original, 
as  it  was  his  perfect  counterpart.  However,  it  was  a 
target  for  the  higher  critics  in  art  on  account  of  its 
being  represented  in  the  dress  of  the  modern  age.  The 
vestment  should  have  been  like  that  represented  by  the 
Greek  and  Roman  sculptors  of  old.  The  critics  had 
in   mind   the   statues   executed   by   Phidias,  Praxiteles, 


1 62  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 

and  Scopas,  and  the  dress  worn  in  their  age.  A  depart- 
ure from  this,  in  their  estimation,  was  a  sacrilege.  To 
have  thus  draped  his  statue  would  not  have  been  sat- 
isfactory to  the  friends  of  the  great  Commoner,  as  they 
would  not  have  been  willing  to  sacrifice  resemblance 
to  classical  excellence.  A  like  condemnation  is  that  of 
modern  painters  in  representing  biblical  and  historical 
events  of  ancient  days.  A  striking  example  is  that  of 
Jacob  meeting  Rachel  at  the  well,  painted  by  Giorgione, 
and  the  Prodigal  Son,  executed  by  Du  Buff.  Each  of 
the  figures  in  these  paintings  is  represented  in  modern 
dress.  Such  anachronism  is  a  liberty  that  is  inexcusable. 
Much  more  reprehensible  was  the  artist  who,  in  his 
painting  of  the  Last  Supper,  represented  a  goblet  filled 
with  cigar  -  lighters  placed  next  to  the  figure  of  the 
Apostle  Peter. 

Hart  came  to  America  to  be  present  at  the  unveil- 
ing of  the  statue  of  Clay.  The  eight  months  that  he 
remained  in  this  country  made  him  appreciate  the  more 
the  friendship  and  admiration  of  his  host  of  friends. 
Soon  after  his  arrival  at  Lexington  its  citizens  gave 
him  a   banquet  at  the  old  Broadway  Hotel. 

He  had  purposed  to  open  a  studio  in  New  York  City, 
but  on  receiving  an  order  from  Louisville  for  a  statue  of 
Clay  he  concluded  to  return  to  Florence  to  execute  the 


'WOMAN  TRIUMPHANT. 

Sculptured  by  Joel  T.  Hart. 


Joel  T.  Hart 


work,  for  which  he  was  to  receive  ten  thousand  dollars. 
After  the  completion  of  this  mission  he  resolved  to  return 
and  permanently  remain  in  America.  The  friends  and 
admirers  of  Clay,  in  New  Orleans,  not  willing  to  be  out- 
done in  their  appreciation  and  loyalty  to  Kentucky's 
great  statesman,  contracted  with  Mr.  Hart  for  a  copy  of 
the  statue. 

The  proceeds  of  the  three  statues  placed  the  sculptor 
in  comfortable  circumstances,  in  so  much  as  to  enable 
him  to  embody  in  clay  a  conception  which  was  the  dream 
and  ambition  of  thirty  years  or  more.  It  was  to  repre- 
sent woman  triumphant  —  taking  the  American  woman  as 
the  type  of  beauty,  of  intelligence,  and  of  symmetry  of 
form.  His  reputation  in  America  and  abroad  in  por- 
traiture did  not  satisfy  him.  Conscious  that  he  had  not 
reached  the  highest  niche  of  fame  that  had  been  attained 
by  sculptors  of  previous  ages,  he  reahzed  that  he  must 
give  full  scope  to  his  creative  powers  ;  but  in  beginning 
his  work  he  was  confronted  at  the  very  threshold  with 
difficulties  on  account  of  not  being  able  to  secure  a  suit- 
able model  for  his  purpose. 

Although  there  were  not  a  few  Trilbys  in  Florence, 
not  one  could  he  find  who  embodied  his  ideal  of  per- 
fection of  form.  In  consequence,  he  had  to  combine  the 
best  qualities  from  various  models.    The  feet,  as  well  as 


164 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bhiegrass 


the  face  and  bust,  he  modeled  after  a  Lexington  woman 
prominent  in  society.  The  arms  and  hands  were  modeled 
after  those  of  Miss  Fannie  Gilispie,  of  Midway,  now  Mrs. 
Robert  Stout,  of  Versailles. 

To  better  aid  him  in  his  work  he  made  casts  of  the 
limbs  and  other  portions  of  the  body  from  several  models. 
In  a  letter  to  Mr.  Clay  he  thus  describes  his  conception  : 
' '  I  gratified  my  passion  in  modeling  a  life  -  ideal  virgin 
and  child  in  a  group  —  not  a  Christian  virgin  and  child, 
however.  The  figures  are  nude  —  Beauty's  Triumph. 
She  being  assailed  by  Cupid,  rests  her  left  foot  on  his 
exhausted  quiver,  and  holds  his  last  arrow  in  triumph, 
for  which  he  pleads,  tiptoeing,  reaching  after  it.  It  gives 
the  most  graceful  and  finest  possible  attitude,  both  in  the 
woman  and  the  boy.    The  idea  is  modern  and  my  own. " 

It  is  described  by  a  Kentuckian  who  saw  it  at  Florence 
in  1871  as  "a  group  of  two  figures  only — a  perfect 
woman  and  a  charming  Cupid.  Love,  in  the  shape  of 
Cupid,  has  assailed  the  fair  one,  has  shot  arrow  after 
arrow,  all  of  which  are  broken  and  have  fallen  at  her 
feet.  His  quiver  is  exhausted,  the  last  shaft  has  failed 
of  the  mark,  and  this  splendid  woman  has  caught  the 
barbed  arrow,  and  with  her  left  hand  has  raised  it  above 
her  head  out  of  reach  of  the  villainous  little  tempter,  who 
struggles  hopelessly  on  tiptoe  to  regain  it.    The  compo- 


Joel  T.  Hart 


165 


sition  tells  its  own  story.  Virtue  is  assailed,  reason  is 
brought  to  bear,  and  all  attacks  are  harmless.  It  is 
indeed  woman's  triumph  —  the  triumph  of  chastity." 

The  artist,  like  the  bookmaker,  does  not  decide  on 
a  title  for  his  composition  until  the  work  is  completed. 
To  choose  an  appropriate  and  significant  name  is  of  no 
small  importance.  No  one  realized  this  more  than  did 
Mr.  Hart.  He  first  intended  to  entitle  his  great  compo- 
sition "The  Triumph  of  Chastity,"  but  on  maturer  thought 
he  concluded  to  name  it  "Woman  Triumphant."  To 
have  adopted  the  former  would  have  called  in  question 
the  purity  of  the  motive  of  Cupid  in  his  furious  assault 
on  his  would-be  victim.  The  sculptor  knew  full  well 
that  this  incorrigible  marksman,  when  he  lets  fly  his 
arrow,  never  intends  to  inflict  a  poisonous  wound.  Thus 
naming  it  is  a  commentary  on  his  own  refined  nature  as 
well  as  a  tribute  to  womanly  virtue. 

The  art  correspondent  of  the  London  Athenaeum,  at 
Florence,  a  paper  of  recognized  authority  in  art  matters, 
said  in  1871  that  he  "considered  it  the  finest  work  in 
existence,  and  that  in  1868  he  had  begged  Hart  to  finish 
it  at  once,  but  he  would  not ;  each  year  it  grew  more 
beautiful,  and  he  now  feared  to  urge  its  completion 
against  the  artist's  better  judgment."  Other  art  corre- 
spondents of  London  journals  years  ago  pronounced  it 


1 66         The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 

the  work  of  modern  times,  and  other  writers  all  agree 
as  to  its  perfection. 

A  friend,  on  seeing  Hart  taking  from  and  adding  to 
different  parts  of  the  figure,  expressed  surprise  that 
he  did  not  "let  well  enough  alone,"  for  to  his  less 
cultivated  eye  it  appeared  to  be  already  perfect.  He 
remonstrated  with  the  sculptor  for  consuming  so  many 
years  in  the  execution  of  this  work,  to  which  the  artist 
characteristically  responded  :  ' '  Why,  my  friend,  it  takes 
God  Almighty  eighteen  or  twenty  years  to  make  a  perfect 
woman  ;  then  why  should  you  expect  me  to  finish  one  in 
less  time  ?  " 

An  artist,  as  a  means  of  diversion,  is  often  engaged  in 
other  creations.  Hart,  for  this  reason,  produced  several 
ideal  pieces  entitled  "Angelina"  and  "II  Penseroso. " 
Another  is  a  figure  of  a  child  examining  a  nosegay  while 
she  grasps  with  her  other  hand  her  apron  filled  with 
blossoms.  These  productions  are  very  highly  compli- 
mented by  the  press,  both  for  their  poetical  sentiment 
and  artistic  execution. 

The  sweet  and  melodious  notes  he  drew  from  his  flute 
were  a  source  of  pleasure  not  only  to  himself  but  to 
others,  although  his  manipulation  of  this  musical  instru- 
ment was  less  skillful  than  that  shown  in  the  handling  of 
his  modeling  tools. 


Joel  T.  Hart 


167 


At  a  dinner  given  in  Florence  by  the  American  resi- 
dents in  honor  of  WilHam  Cullen  Bryant,  Hart  was  one 
of  the  honored  guests  and  read  a  poem,  by  request, 
which  he  had  prepared  for  the  occasion.  The  portion  of 
the  poem  that  is  preserved  is  as  follows  : 

Shall  I  be  mute  while  here  my  country's  pride. 
Her  youth,  her  beauty,  and  her  manhood  throng 
This  treasure  house,  its  portals  opened  wide. 
Where  I  and  some  proud  names  have  toiled  so  long, 
And  see  to-day  my  country's  sire  of  song 
Crowned  with  his  snowy  splendors  —  laurels  won  — 
Moulding  the  veteran's  heart  ! 

Thrice  welcome  to  these  shores,  great  bard,  who  sang 
The  song  of  "God's  First  Temples"  with  the  fire 
Of  Freedom  —  could  her  spirits  list  thy  tongue 
Some  rapt  "Evangeline"  would  hush  her  choir 
And  Alfieri  throw  around  his  lyre 
The  starry  flag,  prophetic  of  his  own. 
While,  listening,  Dante's  spirit  would  aspire. 

On  the  second  day  of  March,  1877,  he  was  called  to 
lay  down  his  chisel  and  mallet  to  return  to  the  clay  of 
which  his  own  body,  animated  with  the  breath  of  life, 
was  formed  by  the  hand  of  the  Great  Creator.  His  body 
was  laid  to  rest  by  loving  friends  in  the  beautiful  city  of 
Florence. 


i68 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


By  indefatigable  efforts  Mr.  Thomas  G.  Stuart,  member 
of  the  legislature  from  Clark  County  in  1884,  obtained 
an  appropriation  of  twelve  hundred  dollars  for  the  removal 
of  the  remains  to  Frankfort,  Kentucky.  On  their  arrival 
at  Frankfort  they  were  placed  in  the  receiving  vault  in 
the  beautiful  and  picturesque  cemetery.  Governor  Knott 
appointed  the  eighth  of  June,  1887,  for  the  interment  of 
the  remains.  He  requested  Mr.  Robert  Burns  Wilson, 
the  distinguished  poet  and  artist  of  Frankfort,  and  Hon- 
orable William  M.  Beckner,  an  eminent  and  representative 
citizen  of  Hart's  native  county,  to  deliver  memorial 
addresses,  and  Mrs.  Rosa  Vertner  Jeffrey,  the  gifted 
poetess  of  Lexington,  to  prepare  and  read  an  appro- 
priate poem  on  the  occasion. 

Cards  were  sent  to  the  relatives  and  intimate  friends 
of  the  dead  artist  as  far  as  they  were  known  or  could 
be  ascertained  by  the  Governor,  and  a  general  invitation 
was  issued  to  the  people  of  Kentucky  to  be  present. 

F.  W.  Houston,  of  Bourbon  ;  John  S.  Wilson,  of 
Fayette ;  General  C.  M.  Clay,  of  Madison  ;  Honorable 
James  Flanagan,  of  Clark ;  Lieutenant  Governor  James 
R.  Hindman,  of  Adair ;  Honorable  James  A.  McKenzie, 
of  Christian  ;  Colonel  W.  N.  Haldeman,  Daniel  E.  O'Sul- 
livan,  Nicola  Marschall,  Carl  Brenner,  and  R.  J.  Menefee, 
of  Jefferson ;  Colonel  H.   M.   McCarty,  of  McCracken  ; 


Joel  T.  Hart 


169 


Doctor  John  D.  Woods,  of  Warren  ;  Professor  J.  O. 
Hodges,  of  Fayette  ;  Chief  Justice  Pryor,  Judge  Lewis, 
Judge  Holt,  and  Judge  Bennett,  of  the  Court  of  Appeals  ; 
Judge  Bowden,  Judge  Ward,  and  Judge  Barbour,  of  the 
Superior  Court ;  Honorable  Alvin  Duvall,  Honorable  Will- 
iam Lindsay,  General  Scott  Brown,  General  G.  W. 
Lindsay,  Judge  P.  U.  Major,  John  L.  Scott,  Lawrence 
Tobin,  Patrick  McDonald,  Colonel  L.  E.  Harvie,  Thomas 
Rodman,  senior,  Hiram  Berry,  Honorable  W.  P.  D.  Bush, 
Captain  H.  I.  Todd,  Honorable  Thomas  G.  Stuart,  and 
Honorable  James  F.  Winn  were  appointed  honorary  pall- 
bearers, and  the  following  programme  arranged  : 

PROGRAMME. 

Removal  of  Remains  from  Receiving  Vault  to  Place  of  Interment, 
Escorted  by  the  Military. 
Prayer  by  Reverend  G.  F.  Bagby. 
Music  by  Frankfort  Choir,  led  by  Professor  Wayland  Graham. 
Address  by  Robert  Burns  Wilson. 
Music. 

Poem  by  Mrs.  Rosa  Vertner  Jeffrey. 
Music. 

Address  Upon  the  Life  and  Character  of  Joel  T.  Hart, 
by  Honorable  W.  M.  Beckner. 
Music. 

Benediction  by  Professor  Joseph  Desha  Pickett. 


The  programme  was  fully  and  imposingly  carried  out. 


1 70  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


A  stone  chimney,  built  by  Hart  in  his  junior  years, 
yet  stands  in  Bourbon  County  as  a  monument  to  his 
mechanical  skill.  Proud  of  his  work  and  wishing  that 
future  generations  might  give  him  credit  as  a  master 
workman,  he  carved  his  name  at  its  base.  As  a  fit  com- 
panion -  piece  the  State  of  Kentucky  should  erect,  at  a 
near  future,  a  monument  of  solid  granite  in  testimony  of 
the  higher  achievements  in  art,  and  in  large  letters,  not 
at  the  base  but  high  up  on  the  shaft,  inscribe  the  name 
of  Joel  T.  Hart. 

Hart's  genius  was  not  confined  to  modeling  in  clay. 
So  ambitious  was  he  to  attain  a  reputation  as  a  poet 
that,  in  his  will,  he  expressed  a  desire  that  what  he 
had  written  in  verse  should  be  compiled  and  published 
in  book  form.  His  literary  compositions  were  placed, 
after  his  death,  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  H.  C.  Pindell,  of 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  who  died  before  the  work  was 
accomplished,  and  the  manuscripts  are  still  in  the  pos- 
session of  his  widow.  The  Polytechnic  Society,  of  this 
city,  has  in  its  possession  one  of  his  machines  for 
reducing  marble  into  shape,  a  bundle  of  his  manuscripts, 
and  the  models  of  his  President  Jackson,  Alexander 
Campbell,  and  "The  Morning  Glory." 

While  Hart  himself  had  no  preceptor  in  sculpture, 
he  was  ever  willing   to   give  instruction  to   all  novices 


Joel  T.  Hart 


171 


who  might  apply  to  him,  particularly  if  they  manifested 
unusual  talent. 

His  contemporary,  Mr.  Hiram  Powers,  said  of  him  : 
"Hart  is  the  best  bust -maker  in  the  world  at  his  time." 
In  his  ideal  production  no  less  can  be  said  of  him. 
In  originality  of  expression  he  was  never  surpassed. 
The  beauty,  intelligence,  and  purity  portrayed  in  his 
female  faces  are  unequaled,  while  even  Hiram  Powers' 
"Greek  Slave,"  of  the  highest  type  of  female  beauty 
and  symmetry  of  woman's  form,  is  lacking  in  motive, 
therefore  does  not  appeal  to  the  sympathies  of  the 
beholder.  The  manacles  which  clasp  the  wrist  are  more 
expressive  than  the  countenance.  Then,  her  apparent 
indifference  to  her  nudity,  when  the  cynosure  of  all 
eyes,  is  unnatural.  This  criticism  can  not  justly  be  made 
of  Hart's  great  work,  ' '  Woman  Triumphant, "  as  her 
toying  with  Cupid  is  supposed  not  to  be  witnessed  by 
spectators.  Venus  de  Medici  and  Venus  of  Milo  express 
the  innate  modesty  peculiar  to  the  pure  and  refined 
woman,  as  it  is  shown  in  the  former  by  the  graceful 
but  deprecative  position  of  her  hands  ;  in  the  latter  by 
extending  the  right  hand  as  if  in  the  effort  to  adjust 
her  displaced  garments. 

It  is  stated  that  an  old  countryman,  with  his  wife 
and  two   grown  daughters,   made  a  visit  to  Cincinnati, 


172 


The  Old  Masters  of  the  Blt4egrass 


and  while  there  was  advised  by  the  landlord  of  his 
hotel  to  see  the  "Greek  Slave,"  then  on  exhibition, 
before  leaving  for  home.  Hence,  early  next  morning 
they  repaired  to  the  building  containing  the  wonderful 
creation  in  marble.  The  ' '  Slave "  stood  where  the 
reflection  of  the  morning  sun  apparently  transformed  it, 
for  the  time,  into  living  flesh,  and  the  venerable  farmer, 
on  reaching  the  entrance  in  advance  of  his  family, 
catching  sight  of  it  through  the  door,  which  stood  ajar, 
hastily  turning  to  his  family  exclaimed  with  uplifted 
hand:  "Go  back!  we've  come  too  early,  for  she  ain't 
dressed  yet. " 

In  justice  to  Powers,  in  the  representation  of  the 
"Greek  Slave,"  it  may  be  said  that  failure  in  giving 
expression  to  the  face  was  no  more  a  fault  than  is  seen 
in  the  works  of  the  ancient  sculptors.  Sir  Joshua 
Reynolds,  in  his  lecture  on  sculpture  delivered  to  the 
members  of  the  Royal  Academy,  on  this  point  made 
the  following  observation:  "The  face  bears  so  very 
inconsiderable  a  proportion  to  the  effect  of  the  whole 
figure  that  the  ancient  sculptors  neglected  to  animate 
the  features  even  with  the  general  expression  of  the 
passions.  Of  this,  the  group  of  'The  Boxers'  is  a 
remarkable  instance.  They  are  engaged  in  the  most 
animated   action  with    the   greatest  serenity  of  counte- 


Joel  T.  Hart 


173 


nance.  I  suspect  it  will  be  found,  on  close  examination 
by  him  who  is  resolved  not  to  see  more  than  he  really 
does  see,  that  the  figures  are  distinguished  by  their 
insignia  more  than  by  any  variety  of  form  or  beauty. 
Take  from  Apollo  his  lyre,  from  Bacchus  his  thirsus 
and  vine  leaves,  and  from  Meleager  the  boar's  head, 
and  there  will  remain  little  or  no  difference  in  their 
characters.  In  a  Juno,  Minerva,  or  Flora  the  idea  of 
the  artist  seems  to  have  gone  no  further  than  repre- 
senting perfect  beauty  and  afterward  adding  the  proper 
attributes,  with  a  total  indifference  to  which  they  gave 
them."  As  an  exception  to  this  general  practice  Mr, 
Reynolds  should  have  mentioned  the  "Laocoon,"  for, 
in  the  admirable  group  of  the  father  and  the  two  sons, 
the  agony  is  shown  in  the  countenance  as  well  as  the 
contortions  of  the  bodies  caused  by  the  embrace  and 
fangs  of  the  serpentine  monster. 

Mr.  Hart  was  a  great  reader,  preferring  the  classics 
to  modern  fiction.  A  fine  memory  gave  him  ready 
command  of  the  material  stored  away  in  his  mind, 
and  with  great  fluency  he  drew  to  him  the  cultured 
and  those  versed  in  both  ancient  and  modern  litera- 
ture. He  was  not  less  attractive  to  children,  and 
delighted  to  entertain  them  with  recitals  from  Mother 
Goose. 


1 74  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


Though  an  independent  thinker,  his  views  on  any 
subject  he  would  not  press  if  contrary  to  the  convic- 
tions of  others.  In  reHgion  he  was  an  Universahst ;  in 
poHtics,  a  Jacksonian  Democrat. 

He  was  a  typical  Kentucky  gentleman  who  bore  him- 
self with  singular  grace  and  dignity  —  his  height  being 
six  feet  and  his  weight  a  hundred  and  seventy  -  five 
pounds.  His  countenance  showed  strength  of  character  ; 
his  features  were  clear  cut,  and  beneath  a  broad  and 
projecting  brow  shone  a  pair  of  dark,   piercing  eyes. 

He  lived  and  died  a  bachelor.  That  he  did  not  marry, 
when  woman  was  his  inspiration  and  her  presence  a 
delight,  was  not  because  his  responsive  chords  were 
wholly  inflexible,  for,  if  rumor  is  to  be  credited,  he 
received  in  his  early  manhood  a  well  -  directed  shot  from 
the  wily  and  matchless  marksman  whom  he  so  delighted 
to  portray  in  marble. 

In  a  word,  he  fell  a  victim  to  the  charms  of  a  Lex- 
ington beauty.  The  following  account  of  this  infatuation 
was  written  by  Miss  Mary  M.  Thixton,  and  appeared 
in  the  Courier  -  Journal,  over  her  initials.  May  24.  1896: 


Joel  T.  Hart 


175 


THE  ROMANCE  IN  THE  LIFE  OF  KENTUCKY'S  GREAT 

SCULPTOR. 

Death  of  Mrs.  Joseph  R.  Smith  Recalls  His  Only  Love — 
The  Story  of  Her  Connection  with  His  Masterpiece, 
"The  Triumph  of  Chastity." 

The  death  of  Mrs.  Joseph  R.  Smith,  of  Birmingham,  Alabama, 
a  few  weeks  ago,  has  recalled  the  romance  in  the  life  of  Ken- 
tucky's great  sculptor,  Joel  T.  Hart.  About  ten  years  ago, 
when  the  "Triumph  of  Chastity"  was  brought  to  Kentucky 
through  the  endeavors  of  patriotic  Lexington  women,  many 
stories  were  published  that  invested  considerable  romantic  interest 
about  the  sculptor  and  his  great  lifework.  The  writer  met  Mrs. 
Joseph  R.  Smith,  who  was  none  other  than  the  much-talked-of 
Mary  Smithers,  of  Lexington,  Kentucky,  during  a  visit  several 
years  ago  at  her  home,  called  Smithfield,  one  of  the  handsome 
suburban  residences  of  Birmingham.  In  conversation  reference 
was  made  to  Joel  T.  Hart  and  his  "Triumph  of  Chastity,"  and 
the  report  that  she  had  been  the  sculptor's  inspiration.  She 
flushed  up  at  once  and  replied  : 

"A  great  injustice  was  done  me.  In  one  article  I  was 
charged  with  infidelity  and  with  being  too  mercenary  to  fulfill 
my  promises  to  become  his  wife.  The  truth  is  I  was  never 
engaged  to  be  married  to  Mr.  Hart.  I  was  aware  that  he  loved 
me,  but  so  far  as  there  ever  having  been  any  pledges  of  love  or 
that  I  was  ever  betrothed  to  him,  the  statement  is  altogether 
unfounded,  as  I  can  prove  to  you  by  showing  you  some  of  Mr. 
Hart's  letters." 

There  the  matter  dropped  ;  the  writer  returned  home  without 
being  able  to  see  the  original  correspondence,  until  last  week, 


^  76  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


on  another  visit  to  Birmingham,  Doctor  Joseph  R.  Smith,  her 
huband,  redeemed  his  wife's  promise  to  furnish  any  information 
for  the  readers  of  the  Courier-Journal  that  might  vindicate  her. 
Doctor  Joseph  R.  Smith,  it  may  be  remarked,  is  among  the 
most  wealthy  and  courtly  old  gentlemen  in  the  South.  He  is  a 
native  of  Bessemer,  a  few  miles  from  Birmingham,  and  was  born 
in  1 818.  In  1854  he  removed  to  Smithfield,  his  present  home. 
Doctor  Smith  did  not  marry  his  late  wife  until  1876,  although 
he  met  her  in  1838,  while  a  medical  student  in  Lexington,  Ken- 
tucky. After  returning  to  his  Southern  home  he  married  another. 
After  her  death  his  heart  reverted  to  his  former  Lexington  sweet- 
heart, and  on  inquiry  he  found  her  to  be  a  widow,  living  in 
Missouri.  He  at  once  opened  up  correspondence  with  her,  which 
culminated  in  their  marriage  in  1876.  Doctor  Smith's  first  wife 
left  him  with  nine  children,  and  so  lovely  in  disposition  was  his 
second  wife  that  they  worshiped  her. 

Doctor  Smith's  eyes  moistened  with  tears  as  he  pointed  to  her 
grave  in  the  Elyton  Cemetery,  near  the  railroad  that  passes  his 
door.  Flowers,  which  were  her  passion,  were  blooming  over 
the  mound.  "I  buried  her  there,"  he  remarked,  "because  I 
can  see  her  grave  and  recall  the  loveliness  of  her  character." 
Doctor  Smith  remembers  Birmingham  when  all  over  its  now  busy 
precincts  was  a  cotton-field.  "  It  was  only  a  few  years  since  the 
tall  hills  surrounding,  called  the  fashionable  South  Highlands,"  he 
said,  "were  unclaimed  lands  that  belonged  to  the  Government." 

After  arriving  at  his  home.  Doctor  Smith  took  out  an  old 
box  in  which  his  wife  held  her  dearest  heart  treasures.  Within 
were  letters  of  Joel  T.  Hart,  the  picture  of  her  first  husband, 
Doctor  Kilpatrick,  and  the  letters  of  Doctor  Smith. 

Brushing  aside  a  tear,  he  said:  "This  contains  all  her  treas- 
ures.   Some  of  the  letters  I  have  never  read   myself.  This 


Joel  T.  Hart 


177 


picture  of  Doctor  Kilpatrick  recalls  her  first  love.  My  wife  was 
beautiful  in  form  and  character  as  a  young  woman,  and  few  men 
could  know  her  and  not  love  her.  Her  life  seemed  to  be  full 
of  romance.  When  she  was  only  sixteen  she  fell  in  love  with 
Doctor  Kilpatrick,  who  was  attending  college  at  Lexington  in 
1836.  They  passed  one  another  on  the  streets  and  fell  in  love 
at  first  sight.  He  sought  out  an  introduction,  and  their  acquaint- 
ance resulted  in  an  engagement  of  marriage.  The  parents  of 
Mary  Smithers  opposed  the  match  and  forbade  the  young  man 
to  come  to  the  house.  Before  his  departure  for  his  home  in 
Missouri,  mutual  friends  gave  a  party,  at  which  both  were 
present.  Her  parents,  hearing  that  their  daughter  would  meet 
Doctor  Kilpatrick  at  the  party,  drove  up  to  the  house  to  take 
her  home.  She  was  very  greatly  embarrassed,  but  to  save  her 
from  publicity  Doctor  Kilpatrick  escaped  with  her  through  the 
back  door  and  conveyed  her  home.  After  his  return  home,  his 
letters  were  intercepted  and  the  two  drifted  apart.  He  was 
married  to  another,  who  lived  only  two  years.  Mary  went  out 
to  Missouri  to  visit  relatives,  when  Doctor  Kilpatrick  by  chance 
learned  that  she  was  not  far  from  him.  He  at  once  sought  her 
out,  and  they  were  married  within  a  few  months." 

It  was  during  these  years  that  Joel  T.  Hart  became  deeply 
attached  to  her.  In  reading  over  his  letters  there  is  nothing  to 
indicate  that  his  affection  was  reciprocated,  as  she  had  already 
given  her  heart  to  Doctor  Kilpatrick.  Several  of  his  letters  are 
written  in  verse,  a  talent  in  which  the  sculptor  placed  more 
pride  than  in  the  art  which  won  his  fame.  The  following  is  an 
acrostic  addressed  to  Mary : 


178  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


Mary,  dear  Mary,  thine  emblem  behold, 
Aurora's  sweet  blushes,  midst  gems  of  the  sky. 
Refulgent  ascending  on  chariot  of  gold, 
Youth  lighting  her  cheek  and  heaven  her  eye. 

So  may  thy  pure  spirit  to  glory  arise, 
Mount,  like  Aurora,  till  its  genial  ray 
In  triumph  returns  to  its  home  in  the  sky. 
To  bask  a  bright  seraph  in  splendor  of  day. 
Hither  to  greet  thee,  with  starry  crown'd  head. 
Each  friend  of  thy  love  and  with  angels  to  soar. 
Rolling,  when  the  spheres  with  their  music  have  fled. 
Sweet  anthems,  when  sorrow  and  parting 's  no  more. 

There  is  a  very  interesting  letter  written  on  the  same  sheet 
as  one  addressed  to  Mrs.  Susan  Hubbard.  The  latter  was  a 
sister  to  Mary,  and  it  bears  the  date  of  June  22,  1848,  Lexing- 
ton, Kentucky.  Mr.  Hart  gives  quite  a  vivid  account  of  the 
home  life  of  Mary's  family,  and  judging  from  it  he  was  an  inti- 
mate friend  who  came  and  went  as  one  of  the  household.  He 
apologized  to  her  for  writing  on  a  sheet  of  paper  that  had  the 
names  of  his  two  friends  in  the  corner,  but  it  was  the  only  piece 
of  writing  paper  left.  The  friends  had  written  their  names  there. 
One  of  them  was  George  P.  Jouett.  The  other  name  was  that  of 
M.  Ponder,  whom  Hart  pronounced  the  best  stone-cutter  he  ever 
knew.  Mary's  mother  had  married  a  second  time,  and  at  that 
writing  was  Mrs.  Gibbons.  A  step-brother.  Judge  Zack  Gibbons, 
now  resides  in  Lexington,  and  a  brother,  Mr.  John  Smithers, 
lives  in  St.  Louis,  as  does  her  only  child,  Mr.  Claude  Kilpatrick. 

Another  letter  was  written  her  from  White  Sulphur  Springs, 
in  1845.  In  it  Hart  speaks  of  his  going  abroad,  as  the  women 
of  Richmond,  Virginia,  had  subscribed  about  five  thousand  dol- 
lars toward  a  bust  of  Henry  Clay,  and  had  selected  him  to  make 
it.    It  was  in  1848  that  arrangements  were  perfected  for  his 


Joel  T.  Hart 


179 


going  abroad.  It  was  then  that  the  mutual  renunciation  or 
abandonment  of  marriage  between  himself  and  Mary  forced  itself, 
because  of  his  uncertain  destiny.  Among  the  faded  letters  was 
the  following,  which  shows  that  the  separation  between  them  was 
a  hard  one,  at  least  for  him  : 

Adieu,  dear  Mary,  once  adieu, 

My  destined  hour  to  part  has  come 
From  those  I  love,  my  favorite  few, 

My  country  and  my  home. 

As  fortune's  cold  and  stern  decree 

Forbids  me  bow  at  virtue's  shrine, 
To  bow  with  bended  knee, 

So  were  this  bosom  worthy  thine. 

Be  then  some  gallant  breast  thy  guide 

Which  all  thy  virtues  may  approve. 
For  thine  are  worth  such  hero's  pride 

And  worthy  of  his  love. 

A  nobler  offering  this  will  be 

Than  one  can  give  destined  to  roam. 
Whose  dwelling  lies  beyond  the  sea, 

Perhaps  the  waves  his  home. 

Yet,  Mary,  wilt  thou  breathe  a  prayer. 

And  often  greet  my  tender  lay, 

That  we  may  see  each  other  there 

When  I  am  far  away. 

I'll  think  of  thee,  though  mountains  rise, 

And  oceans  wild  between  us  roll ; 
I'll  steal  thine  image  from  the  skies. 

And  stamp  it  in  my  soul. 

While  hope  shall  light  me  over  the  main, 

Where'er  I  rove,  whate'er  pursue, 
And  fondly  whisper:  "Meet  again," 

Once  more,  sweet  maid,  adieu. 

J.  T.  H. 

Lexington,  November  11,  1848. 


1 80  The  Old  Masters  of  the  Bluegrass 


SUPPLEMENT  WILL  OF  LATE  JOEL  T.  HART. 

That  part  of  the  will  which  provides  for  the  com- 
pletion of  the  statue  has  been  published.  The  fourth 
section  is  as  follows  : 

I  devise  and  bequeath  to  my  personal  friend,  Henry  C. 
Pindell,  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  all  my  letters  received  from 
distinguished  men,  to  be  used  if  desired  in  a  sketch  of  my  life, 
together  with  all  my  manuscript  poems,  fables,  and  maxims  in 
my  studio.  I  also  devise  and  bequeath  to  said  Henry  C.  Pindell 
one  of  the  two  original  plaster  copies  of  my  ideal  group  above 
mentioned,  called  "Woman  Triumphant,"  but  as  there  is  a 
slight  difference  of  treatment  in  these  two  original  plaster 
copies,  the  one  bequeathed  to  said  Henry  C.  Pindell  may  be 
called  No.  i  to  distinguish  it  from  No.  2,  the  difference  of 
treatment  being  that  in  No.  i  the  arm  of  Cupid  is  raised  and 
in  No.  2  the  arm  is  down.  I  also  devise  and  bequeath  to  him 
one  copy  in  plaster  of  my  ideal  bust,  and  one  in  plaster  of 
the  "Morning  Glory."  These  copies  are  to  be  reproduced  as 
he  may  direct  in  marble,  and  sold  by  him  to  pay  for  printing 
and  publishing  one  volume  of  my  best  poems  from  the  manuscript 
heretofore  mentioned  as  being  in  my  studio,  and  be  dedicated 
to  my  especial  personal  friend,  Henry  C.  Pindell,  of  Louisville, 

Kentucky,  by  the  author,  Joel  T.  Hart,   I  also  intrust 

to  his  charge  my  portrait-measuring  inventions  from  the  life, 
having  two  hundred  steel  needles,  to  be  placed  in  some  museum 
in  the  United  States  of  America,  where  and  when  he  may  think 
proper,  and  also  its  tall  iron  column  used  in  "pointing"  my  group 


Joel  r.  Hart 


i8i 


with  its  two  tripods,  when  the  one  or  two  groups  mentioned  in 
clause  marked  "first"  shall  have  been  completed.  I  further  devise 
that  my  marble  bust  pointing  invention,  with  its  two  cast  iron 
plates,  ebony  marble  shaft  and  two  metal  arms  with  quadrants 
and  two  needles  each,  be  placed  with  the  above  named  instru- 
ment with  letters  patent  proving  them  to  be  my  inventions,  that 
they  may  be  there  preserved,  and,  if  desired,  to  be  copied  free 
for  the  use  of  all  sculptors,  who  desire  higher  perfection  and 
greater  speed.  In  case  the  said  Henry  C.  Pindell  should  not 
accept  the  above  bequests,  then  I  devise  that  the  name  of  R.  J. 
Menefee,  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  be  substituted  for  that  of  said 
Henry  C.  Pindell. 


3  3125  01378  2251 


